Manoomin {Wild Rice} is now Michigan’s official state grain
Written by Katie Halloran | Photography by NHBP Tribal Member Johnathon Moulds

Signed into law in early December 2023 by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Manoomin, or Mnomen in Bodwéwadmimwen {Potawatomi Language}, is now officially the state grain. Manoomin has been harvested as a staple food for Native people for hundreds of years and is used in Ceremonies and as Medicine.

Manoomin {Wild Rice} now Michigan’s official state grain

NHBP Tribal Member Nat Spurr played an important role in moving the legislation forward, lobbying for Wild Rice as the state grain during several state legislatures: 2017-2018, 2019-2020, 2021-2022, as well as the current one, 2023-2024. His years’ long advocacy work spanned two governors’ administrations.

As former vice-chairperson of the Anishinaabek Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party, Spurr testified in September 2023 before Michigan state representatives on the Agriculture Committee about the significance of the designation.

“My Mother and Grandmother first introduced me to Wild Rice and its harvesting process at my Grandfather’s Tribe’s Reservation in Wisconsin when I was 3 years old,” said Spurr in a later interview. “But it wasn’t until seven years ago, in 2016, that I became familiar with Wild Rice in our own state of Michigan when NHBP and the NHBP Environmental Department introduced me to Zizania Aquatica (river rice) in the Pine and Nottawa Creeks. That is when I first got the idea for the State of Michigan to honor and recognize its own Indigenous People and our Culture.”

Spurr recalls how others quickly got involved. In January 2019, right after Governor Whitmer took office, “I called NHBP Tribal Council Chairperson Stuck and asked him to advocate for the idea with the new governor,” said Spurr. “In May 2019, the United Tribes of Michigan (UTM) issued a unanimous resolution supporting the idea of Manoomin as Michigan’s state grain.”

To further highlight this accomplishment, Spurr was in person at the Senate Chamber when the Senate voted to pass the bill on Nov. 1, the first day of Native American Heritage Month in 2023.

Although the legislation doesn’t allocate any funding or monies for the protection or reintroduction of Manoomin within the Great Lakes State, it does officially acknowledge what the Neshnabék have long known – that Manoomin serves as an important part of Michigan’s ecological landscape, providing valuable food and cover for waterfowl, mammals, fish, amphibians and bird species.

And “any publicity is good publicity,” as the old adage goes.

“Enhanced awareness within the Michigan and Great Lakes community by designating Wild Rice as the Native State Grain should promote additional preservation and partnership opportunities,” said NHBP Environmental Consultant John Rodwan, who formerly served as Environmental Director for the NHBP Tribe. “Landscape scale restoration of this vital natural and cultural resource is only possible through a fusion of cultural, scientific and regulatory leadership.”

Spurr also explained how the Anishanaabek Caucus has been working toward this legislation for the past several years, and also that Michigan’s 12 federally recognized Native Tribes, including NHBP, have invested millions of dollars into Manoomin restoration efforts over the last 20 years.

“NHBP has led many Wild Rice restoration initiatives over the last 15 years, and looks forward to forging the important relationships necessary to continue this pivotal work,” added Rodwan.

Governor Whitmer signed the Manoomin bill into law on November 29, just before the end of Native American Heritage Month.

Read more about the Wild Rice Camp and Fall Ceremonies that NHBP hosts each year at Harvesting Wisdom | NHBP (nhbp-nsn.gov).

Read more about the work that the NHBP Environmental Department has done for Wild Rice restoration here: https://nhbp-nsn.gov/blog/connecting-with-local-egle-district-to-protect-and-restore-for-next-seven-generations/.

Or to learn about the efforts to further study Mnomen at NHBP, visit:
https://nhbp-nsn.gov/blog/nhbp-and-albion-college-unite-to-honor-tradition/