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Award-winning Ojibwe writer Jim Northrup passes away at age 73

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Jim Northrup, 1943-2016. Photo from Facebook

Jim Northrup, an award-winning author, poet and humorist from the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, died on Monday, He was 73.

Northrup was the author of several books including Walking the Rez Road, for which he won a Minnesota Book Award and a Northeast Minnesota Book Award. He also wrote a syndicated column called Fond du Lac Follies that was read throughout Indian Country.

Northrup had been battling kidney cancer that spread throughout his body. He attributed the disease to exposure to Agent Orange during his service in the Vietnam War, Forum News Service reported in April.

A wake will take place this Thursday at the Sawyer Community Center in Sawyer, Minnesota. The funeral will be held on Friday at the center.

"A traditional fire has been lit at his [residence] and all are invited to stop by and pay their respects at any time," son Matthew wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. The address is 1244 Northrup Road in Cloquet.

Matthew also shared a poem written by his father that appeared in Walking The Rez Road. It follows:

end of the beginning

Someone said we begin to die
the minute we're born.
Death is a part of life.
Who knows why the Creator
thins the herd.
Another old saying says
we must all be prepared
to give up those we love
or die first.
Take time to mourn.
Take time to remember.
Everything happens in cycles.
The pain you feel was once
balanced by someone's joy
when that baby was born.
The loss you feel today
will be replaced by good
long-lasting memories.
Is there a message here? Yea,
treat others like this
is your last day above ground.