The blanket draping the shoulders of Perry No Tears Brady offers protection.

It protects him from harmful spirits. He wears it at speaking engagements, like the one at United Tribes Technical College on Wednesday, and other places when he is away from his home. He is a member of Three Affiliated Tribes.

"There are good spirits, bad spirits and mischievous spirits," he said. "I know some of you here, but there are people here I don't know."

This tradition is one he learned from elders before him. Now, he is a tribal elder sharing the lessons his grandfather taught him with his grandchildren and other youth. He was one of nine elders to talk at United Tribes during an elders' forum about oral history and life lessons.

In the healing room of the Lewis Goodhouse Wellness Center, every chair was full and people stood at the back, listening. No one spoke while the elders spoke. If a baby cried, the mother tried to hush the child, or left the room.

Such signs of respect are common. So, too, are the stories passed along by the elders on tradition and life. The lessons are passed along generation to generation. Many of the elders learned from their grandparents and are now passing along their knowledge.

Their lessons are less lecture and more story. When teaching the younger generation the importance of putting other people first, Spirit Lake Nation elder Ambrose Little Ghost tells a story his grandfather told him. A woman had to silence her baby's cries as she hid with a group of people from approaching enemies. Her efforts sacrificed her child and saved her and the people with her, he said. It's a harsh example, Little Ghost said, but it got the point across.

His grandfather also taught him the importance of prayer.

"We pray for everything, from the children to the grandchildren before us," he said.

It's how he starts his day, he said.

He and his wife, Anna Little Ghost, speak to youth. They see themselves as role models, Anna Little Ghost said.

"You have to find peace within yourself," she said.

She found that with her husband of 49 years. They have two children whom they adopted.

Each elder had a turn to talk. They had a general topic to talk about, but also were able to talk about whatever was on their mind. The talks covered prayer, Mother Earth, discipline, sobriety, life, death, current affairs and talk about family.

The other elders participating were Duane and Bonnie Fox and Edwin Benson of Three Affiliated Tribes; Cecilia Myerion of Turtle Mountain Chippewa; and George Ironshield and LaDonna Brave Bull Allard of Standing Rock Sioux.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@bismarcktribune.com.)