"They say when chiefs and great men die, the skies turn tumultuous and stormy. They say spirits come on high winds to honor and escort the person home.

On Saturday, a warm morning, I went to Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation to attend a meeting. By the evening of that day, the wind was blowing so hard the Canada maple leaf and our Stars and Stripes flags atop the tribe's Skydancer lodge and casino stood nearly straight out. The next day when I returned to Grand Forks, the clouds were deep purple and rolling. Squalls of wind and rain rocked the car most of the way home.

Upon arriving here, I read in the Herald that Everett Elbers, a friend and North Dakota leader, had passed away Saturday morning. He was the executive director of the North Dakota Humanities Council."

Get the Story:
COLUMNIST DORREEN YELLOW BIRD: R.I.P., Ev Elbers, a great friend to all Dakotans (The Grand Forks Herald 4/27)

More Dorreen Yellow Bird:
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