Boozhoo John,
This week is the manoomin harvest. Manoomin means wild rice or “the good grain” in the Algonquin language. Wild rice is a sacred crop to Indigenous people in this region because it is a key part of the Ojibwe migration story and a staple in the contemporary Native American diet.
The Ojibwe people came to the Great Lakes region by following a prophecy that said they will find a place where food grows on the water. When they found manoomin, it meant home – it meant sovereignty.
The crop is respected, and Native people depend on the fall harvest. It is the first food presented to babies and the last food offered to elders. Additionally, it is vital to the health of the water and ecosystems. Biologists consider it a crucial indicator for the health of species and quality of the water in the Lake Superior region – especially in Northern Wisconsin.
Due to climate change, water pollution (such as oil spills), and genetic modification, wild rice is under serious threats.
A number of Native activists like Guy Anakwet Reiter, who is Menominee and a FNCA board member, have led the way in promoting the right of nature to exist. Many tribes even have laws that give nature rights to exist, so it is protected from human-caused harm.
At Wisconsin Native Vote, our voting advocacy work is important because Native people must use their voices to protect the crops and traditions we hold sacred. It is also important we know the issues Native people care about – like protecting the manoomin – are of importance to others. When we show up to vote at the polls, we vote for our way of life.
Pledge to vote in the Nov. 8 election here.
