An Ojibwe prophecy drew Indigenous people from the eastern U.S. to Wisconsin for the food that grows on the water. That is manoomin, also referred to as wild rice. In addition to its cultural significance, it’s a keystone species that indicates the health of the water in which it grows throughout the Great Lakes basin.

Manoomin is actually a wild grass and can be distinguished from rice types such as white, jasmine or other varieties of the grain. A multi-year collaborative project of Native American na- tions and the Sea Grant programs from Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota fostered engagement and learning surrounding manoomin, documenting spiritual resonance and resulting in re- sources and literature reviews, as well as visually appealing posters documenting manoomin’s life cycle. go.wisc.edu/3h6dl2