manoomin (wild rice), holds immense cultural and ecological significance to the anishinaabeg (ojibwe people) and the land surrounding the great lakes in which they live and steward. the understanding that all living beings, including rocks, water, plants, animals and humans, are always in relation through the circle of life is core to indigenous epistemologies.

the relationship between manoomin and anishinaabeg is strong through generations of knowledge transfer, but the decline in manoomin from the settler colonial system and increasing climate change poses a threat to that relationship. by anishinaabeg continuing to carry on the legacy of generational stewardship, they are actively combatting outside forces that have attempted to weaken that relationship.