Manoomin: Michigan's Native Grain
Please reach out to the committee lead, Nat Spurr, to offer your help working to name Manoomin as Michigan's Native Grain. This should be an easy, non-partisan accomplishment but it has still not be done.
House Hearing for HB 4852 to designate Manoomin as the State Native Grain
There is no sound for the first 10 seconds or so.
01:10 Rep Rheingans introduces HB 4852 which is followed by testimony:
04:22 Nichole Biber, Treasurer of The Anishinaabek Caucus of the MDP, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
10:48 Nat Spurr, Vice Chair of The Anishinaabek Caucus of the MDP, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi
32:11 Barbara Barton, Endangered species biologist and author of "The Story of Wild Rice in Michigan"
41:48 Roger LaBine, Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Michigan Manoomin (Wild Rice) is as historically synonymous with Anishinaabek culture in the Great Lakes region as wigwams or the oral tradition.
SB 802 - "Manoomin (Zizania palustris and Zizania aquatica), also known as Michigan wild rice, is designated as the official native grain of this state. Let it be known that Manoomin is a sacred and important component to many wetlands and has a cultural significance to the indigenous people of this state."
HB 6323 - designate Manoomin as the official Native Grain of Michigan
MI.GOV
Great Lakes Marsh and Inland Emergent Wetlands - mention of wild rice as ecologically important
Status of the fisheries in the Michigan waters of the Lake Erie and Lake St Clair - implied inportance of wild rice to normal fisheries
2020-HB-6323.pdfARTICLES
Conveners of Responsibilites, Kyle Powys Whyte, PhD
Advocates hope White Earth wild rice case will boost 'rights of nature', 9/1/21
Enbridge’s Line 3 Is Putting Wild Rice at Risk—and Indigenous Water Protectors Are Taking a Stand, 3/18/21
Line 3 Impact on Wild Rice Fields in Northern Minnesota, 3/3/21
The True Story of Wild Rice, North America’s Most Misunderstood Grain, 8/6/19
Manoomin: Michigan’s spiritual wild rice, Barbara Barton, 7/12/18
RESOURCES
Native Wild Rice Coalition (organizes Manoomin camps)
Wild Rice in Michigan, Barbara Barton, Roger LaBine
Restoring and Monitoring Lake Superior Coastal Wetland Manoomin
Manoomin The Story of Wild Rice in Michigan, Barbara Barton
WHERE TO BUY MANOOMIN
The effects of the Kalamazoo River disaster
