The Anishnaabek (Odawa/Ottawa, Ojibwe/Chippewa, and Bodéwadmi/Potawatomi) are the Indigenous people of Michigan. Their traditions and beliefs place them in the Great Lakes numerous generations before the arrival of Europeans in the 1600s. The Anishnaabek world is the Great Lakes, with a precise knowledge and relationship to a complicated and often hostile environment.

The ability to read weather, know seasonal movements of animals, and make medicines, tools, and homes are some of the critical sources of knowledge that enabled the Anishnaabek to exist. Many belief systems connect directly to the land, reinforcing the bond between people and place.

The language of the Anishnaabek is Anishnaabemowin. Each tribe has a unique dialect and spelling, depending on the region. The language is very descriptive and relies heavily on place. For example, in Minnesota, August and September are known as Mnomen-Giizis, the Wild Rice Moon, due to the large-scale harvesting of wild rice there. In Michigan, various locations only have September as the Wild Rice Moon, while August would be the Min-Geezis, the Berry Moon. The world around you dictates time and place in the Anishnaabek world.

Giitigaak (plants) are the first family. Their presence on Aki (Earth) dates hundreds of millions of years. Without plants, no human life can exist. They provide oxygen, food, clothing, building materials, tools, and have strong cultural connections. Many trees and plants are used for ceremonies, ranging from burials to general blessings. The Anishnaabek have numerous beliefs and uses for the plants around them in the Great Lakes.

One such special plant is Mnomen (manoomin; miinomin; wild rice). Mnomen is a grain indigenous to the Great Lakes found mostly in small lakes and rivers. Mnomen was a staple for the Anishnaabek diet. Today, Mnomen thrives in Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as the western Upper Peninsula. Mnomen is found in smaller amounts in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, and has been virtually eliminated from areas where it once thrived, like in Southeast Michigan. When an Odawa or Potawatomi community that historically lived in this area wanted a larger amount of rice, they would trade for it with the northern tribes. Corn, beans, and squash (known as the three sisters) were the power crops in Southern Michigan. Vast trading networks allowed for diverse foods to be shared among the Anishnaabek.
Plants are also healers. Thousands of years ago, Anishnaabek did get injured and sick. Knowledge of plants for medicines was critical for any community. Various roots, barks, leaves, and combinations of plants helped people to recover and maintain health. Often, plants are addressed as family when harvesting, giving thanks for their gifts, and asking permission to gather. This feeling of kinship provides for a greater sense of sustainability and long-term health of the environment. It helps to eliminate overharvesting and ensures future generations of Anishnaabek have the ability to provide for their families.

Historical records show Mnomen once grew here where Matthaei Botanical Gardens (MBG) now stands. Roger LaBine, a member of the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians in the Upper Peninsula, is a respected Manoomin knowledge holder and caretaker. In partnership with Roger, we have released Mnomen seeds into the pond to grow, inviting Mnomen to return here. While we cannot know if they will stay long-term and re-establish a population, this is an intentional act to bring back reciprocity and responsibility in how we interact with these and other ecosystems.

It is part of our responsibility to all our relations to better steward these areas. Here, Willow Pond serves as a teacher and “living lab” for us to braid together Indigenous and Western sciences. This is a human-made pond that offers important habitat to a variety of more-than-human relatives. Testing of the water quality showed high levels of salt in the water, likely from road salt, and persisting through the summer. The mud at the bottom of the pond is deep and organic-rich, just as Mnomen likes it. It is also enriched in nitrate, a nutrient but also a potential pollutant, likely related to prior land use as a farm.

These findings remind us that our actions have long-term effects. Cranes and muskrats are found here along with turtles, waterfowl, and songbirds. Some of these animals have returned to MBG only recently.

Mnomen (manoomin; wild rice) is a nutritionally, culturally, and spiritually important plant and food for the Anishnaabek in Michigan and beyond. However, the arrival of Europeans to Turtle Island (North America) brought with it dramatic and often devastating changes to the lands and waters.

 In Michigan, the removal of Anishnaabek from the lands they stewarded, industrialization, pollution, damming and draining of waterways and wetlands, and a lack of respect had a dramatic impact on the health of Mnomen, resulting in loss of habitat, with the highest impacts in southern Michigan.

We have a responsibility to all our more-than-human relatives to protect, steward, and restore Mnomen habitats. Plants like pondweeds, apakweshkwayag (cattails), and akandamoog (waterlilies) grow with Mnomen. Animals, including the swimming ones, winged ones, crawling ones, and four-legged ones, call this manidoo gitigaan home as well. Mnomen gives shelter and protection to young giigoonh (fish) and manidoonsag (insects) and helps clean the water. Most importantly, Mnomen shares their abundant grain as food for many relatives, including zhiishiib (ducks) and wazhashk (muskrats), nika (geese) and amik (beaver), and the Anishnaabek.

Mino-bimaadiziwin (the good life) is best realized when all living beings are prosperous. This requires the most work from people, as people have the biggest impacts on the environment. The relations that cannot advocate for themselves rely on us.

We can advocate by being informed on what is happening to the environment, not only around you, but across the Earth. Taking small, yet powerful, everyday action all adds up. Recycling, using less energy, voting, thoughtful consumerism, and sharing valid information are great tools in healing the Earth. Eat seasonal, local foods and landscape with native, ecosystem-supporting plants as much as possible. 

Physically being in a space where plants, animals, or other relations are threatened is one way to force attention to where harm and assaults on the land are occurring. The Earth is at a critical tipping point with climate, habitat, food, water, overpopulation, and resources. What we do today has a bigger impact on the Earth than at any point in human history. Build relationships with the beings around you by spending time outside and getting to know them.

What can you do to help all beings prosper?

Giitigaak (plants) are the first family. Their presence on Aki (Earth) dates hundreds of millions of years. Without plants, no human life can exist. They provide oxygen, food, clothing, building materials, tools, and have strong cultural connections. Many trees and plants are used for ceremonies, ranging from burials to general blessings. The Anishnaabek have numerous beliefs and uses for the plants around them in the Great Lakes.

Canoe image caption: The Anishnaabek often use plants to express their culture, traditions, and stories through art. This small canoe, made of birch bark and porcupine quills, was made exclusively for sale to tourists in the mid 1800s. It was made by an Odawa from Northern Michigan. The patterns, materials, and colors all tell a story, as well as the item showing the importance of canoes and connection to water for the Anishnaabek. This piece is currently in the Welt Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria.

Plants are also healers. Thousands of years ago, Anishnaabek did get injured and sick. Knowledge of plants for medicines was critical for any community. Various roots, barks, leaves, and combinations of plants helped people to recover and maintain health.