By Greg Peterson

Marquette, Michigan - The third planting of wild rice at seven Upper Peninsula sites was just completed by northern Michigan teenagers.

The project is sponsored by the Cedar Tree Institute, the Lake Superior Watershed Partnership, KBIC, and Marquette County Juvenile Court.

Teens take water samples at seven central Upper Peninsula sites where wild rice was planted during the past three September. The Manoomin Project teens to respect nature with hands-on approach. Award-winning project was recently proclaim one of the 14 hardest working efforts in America. (Photo by Greg Peterson)

Through the planting of wild rice in Upper Peninsula lakes and rivers, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and the Cedar Tree Institute is teaching troubled teenagers to respect nature and themselves, while beginning the restoration of the once native grain to northern Michigan.

The Manoomin Project has planted 2,100 pounds of wild rice seed in 7 U.P. lakes, rivers, and streams. The latest planting occurred in early September 2006.

The Manoomin Project has led to the planting of 2,100 pounds of wild rice seeds at seven U.P. lakes and streams thanks to at-risk teens, the Central Upper Peninsula Watershed Partnership, the Cedar Tree Institute, and The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. (Photo by Greg Peterson)

"Wild rice is used in all (American Indian) ceremonies including naming ceremonies, funerals and all gatherings throughout the year," said Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) member Don Chosa, an adjunct professor of Native American Studies at Northern Michigan University (NMU).

The KBIC Ojibway (Chippewa) have purchased different varieties of wild rice seeds from other tribes including the Bad River Band that grew the wild rice in Lake Superior tributaries in Canada and from Wisconsin inland lakes.

"It's coming along good - we have found wild rice growing at every one of the sites except one," said Chosa, a who guides the students to the remote sites and is the tribes' point man for the project.

The leader of the 3,300 member KBIC said the tribe is proud to be supporting wild rice restoration at numerous locations across northern Michigan.

"We have helped plant a food that our ancestors relied on for their survival," said KBIC President and CEO Susan LaFernier. "Because of these plantings we can continue to enjoy this food and remember our ancestors that way."

"The Watershed Partnership has worked with the KBIC on numerous natural resource projects over the years but the wild rice restoration project has been the most rewarding by far, for everyone involved," said Carl Lindquist, director of the Central Lake Superior Watershed Partnership.

At-risk teenagers sentenced through Marquette County Juvenile Court are given an option to work with the project that included planting 2,100 pounds of wild rice during the past three Septembers. The third and final planting was just completed, although organizers are hoping to find donors to keep the project afloat.

"We have representatives of the KBIC tribe at every stage of the Manoomin Project including the tribe's cultural committee, the identification and monitoring of wild rice planting sites, and rituals of tobacco and prayer," said project founder Rev. Jon Magnuson, director of the Cedar Tree Institutes, a Marquette non-profit involved in mental health counseling, religion and the environment.

Before heading out to survey or plant wild rice, at-risk teens get a classroom session at the Central Upper Peninsula Watershed Partnership where they learn native American language, and the importance of planting wild rice, a once native grain across the U.P. (Photo by Greg Peterson)

 

"We are working to bring back wild rice to northern Michigan - it is part of a great healing that is going on with our planet," said Magnuson, pastor for Lutheran Campus Ministry at NMU. "The Earth has been wounded and damaged - and by working with the tribe, the watershed partnership, and at-risk youth in this effort it's part of a healing to the human spirit."

"We are thankful for the KBIC, CEO Susan LaFernier, and the tribal council for all their help and support," said Magnuson, adding that the project is also funded thru many private donations.

The teens are also instructed - but not forced to participate - in non-denominational religious teachings and American Indian values about being respectful to adults, trustworthy citizens, positive role models to other youth, and good stewards to the environment. During an unexpected strong thunderstorm, the students were whisked unannounced to a nearby Catholic church where they took sanctuary from the rain and enjoyed lunch.

SANCTUARY UNDER THE EARTH KEEPER INITIATIVE AND A CHURCH ROOF DURING WILD RICE SURVEY:

A surprise thunderstorm during the July 2006 wild rice survey sent teens scrambling for cover at a church in Harvey. The unexpected arrival of the two dozen teens and their adult leaders for lunch and fellowship was greeted with open arms at the St. Louis The King Catholic Church - where the Earth Keeper Initiative was displayed on the church wall. The Initiative is signed by the leaders of nine U.P. faith communities pledging to protect the environment and reach out to native Americans. (Photos by Greg Peterson)

Surprised church employees were happy to allow the students to use their various facilities. The church (St. Louis the King Catholic Church in Harvey, Michigan) had the Earth Keeper Initiative document hanging on the wall, a pledge signed by the leaders of nine faith communities in 2004 pledging to do environmental work and to reach out to U.P. Indian tribes.

Volunteer Natasha Lapinski said the Manoomin Project is "a unique way to introduce wild rice to the youth of Marquette County."

"Through this project they learned about how to plant it, how it grows, and how to harvest it in September," Lapinski said. "They also learned it's relationship with the native Ojibway of the U.P. It is a sacred food."

In July 2006, the teens braved three days of rare 100-degree plus U.P. weather, the teenagers hiked miles through remote woods in Alger and Marquette counties documenting the growth of the wild rice seeds. The teens took numerous measurements to determine the optimal conditions for growing the wild rice including water acidity samples.

"The kids learned to collect field data pertinent to understanding wild rice, like water pH, temperature and it's location through a handheld GPS unit," Lapinski said.

The teens discovered wild rice in the "boot" stage where the leaves - similar to tall grass - protect the stalks that will grow the seed. Some of the wild rice was in the "floating leaf" stage, that looks like grass mats floating atop the water.

While topping a hill near one of the lakes, the group surprised two black bears.

"Look - there are two bears," said a teenage boy pointing at two bear cubs scrambling up a tree about fifty yards.

A 16-year-old girl screamed and started running away in fright but was stopped by Chosa who told the teens they had nothing to fear. He also stopped two boys from approaching the bear cubs whose mom was probably hiding nearby.

"Remember what I said about respect," Chosa told the fascinated youths.

Sporting a ponytail from under a baseball cap and American Indian earrings, Chosa is a soft spoken man who seems at ease with the youth. They eagerly absorbed all his wisdom about nature.

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community guide Dona Chosa, who spent numerous days counseling and teaching at-risk teens about the native American culture, holds an offering during the wild rice blessing ceremony that was placed in the woods by the teenagers. Chosa performs a vital role in the various aspects of the Manoomin project such as teaching the teens to respect nature including as the group surprised two bears cubs during the July 2006 wild rice survey. 
(Photo by Greg Peterson)

Later that day at a different lake, Chosa spotted two bald eagles perching in a tree on the opposite shore. He also pointed out various animal tracks including raccoons that had apparently feasted on clams.

Some of the teens are serving their sentence in the local youth home and some live with foster families.

Chosa has taught the teenagers many things about American Indian culture including how to make a tobacco blessing at every planting site during each visit, a spiritual activity that the students really enjoyed.

Chosa said the tobacco is offered "for anything we take, and for anything we are undertaking."

"We are asking for a blessing so that what we strive to do turns out successfully," Chosa said.

Chosa says he's noticed a change for the good in the teens' behavior adding the Manoomin Project "has had a positive effect on them by their willingness to participate."

"It seems like they (at-risk teenagers) are happy to be involved and are willing to participate," Chosa said. "Some were in a bad mood or angry and as the day wore on they seemed happy and that it had been fulfilling for them."

KBIC CEO Lafernier said she's pleased that the at-risk teenagers are taking a stake in the environmental future of the U.P. while learning Ojibway customs.

Lafernier added the tribe will continue to support the restoration of wild rice because "it is an important project." During the three years of the Manoomin Project, LaFernier said the KBIC and its department of natural resources has supported the wild rice planting with about $6,500 in tribal funds and grants.

Lafernier encourages everyone to "get in touch with nature" because "today we get caught up in the business of life and forget we don't have a long way to go to enjoy nature."

KBIC historical preservation officer Summer Cohen said the Chippewa people lived on the east coast (before Europeans arrived) and followed a prophecy to move to where "the food grows on the water." Cohen said the Chippewa settled around the Great Lakes after discovering the wild rice growing on the water.

Wild rice is now thriving at seven sites in the central Upper Peninsula thanks to the Manoomin Project. The wild rice in this photo looks like tall blades of grass and like mats of grass floating on the water - here it is mixed with water lilies at a remote site in Alger County. (Photo by Greg Peterson)

"The fact that these kids are working to bring back the wild rice is vital to the survival of the culture and tradition of the Ojibway people," said Cohen, a member of the Lac du Flambeau tribe in Wisconsin.

"Considering the state of our society today, these teachings will hopefully help these kids develop a healthy respect for nature, their surroundings and themselves," Cohen said.

KBIC Cultural Committee chair Geraldine "Gerry" Mantila said in the future the tribe hopes there is enough wild rice growing locally to be harvested for ceremonies adding that only small amounts has been harvested so far for personal use.

"It's of great significance that the wild rice is being planted in this area," said Mantila, an adopted KBIC member since 1973 and an official member of the Sault Ste. Marie tribe of Chippewa Indians. "Wild rice is used in most of our ceremonial feasts."

Mantila added that "it's really important" that the juvenile court teenagers are learning about wildlife and Ojibway customs.

"We want to reach Indian youth and we want to reach youth in the community with our traditions," Mantila said.

Manoomin Project volunteer Tom Reed of Houghton, Michigan said the at-risk youth volunteer to plant and study wild rice "in lieu of community service."

"This is about educating the kids and not about punishment," said Reed, who has a bachelors degree in social work.

"The teens learn native American values and that everything has a spirit and deserves respect," Reed said. "We are offering the teens a chance to invest in the present as well as the future health of the natural world."

"I think it's cutting-edge,"Reed said. "We are healing the Earth through the planting of wild rice ... it's a coordinated attempt to restore a lost balance of peoples and animals and nature at large."

Cedar Tree Institute Founder Jon Magnuson speaks to supporters of the Manoomin Project during the July 2006  annual blessing of the wild rice gathering at Presque Isle. (Photo by Greg Peterson)

Chosa's mother is a member of KBIC and his father is a member of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa located near International Falls, Minnesota and the Canadian border. Chosa helps relatives harvest wild rice every September on pristine (motors prohibited) Nett Lake surrounded by the Boise Forte reservation.

"I have been ricing all of my life - every since I was a small child," said Chosa, adding that the wild rice is eaten by waterfowl and the harvesting process - that involves using a stick to tap the ripe rice off the stalks and into a canoe - also helps reseed the rice as some of the grains land in the water.

"Wild rice is not only sacred but it's a medicine proven by some studies to lower blood sugar so it's helpful to diabetics," Chosa said.

American Indian April Lindala said "the Manoomin Project is significant to the central U.P." because it's important to restore once abundant wild rice, that virtually disappeared for many reasons including logging, the damming of rivers. The KBIC and at least one other U.P. tribe have started restoration projects in recent years.

"There used to be rice beds here - There should be again," said Lindala, interim director for the Center for Native American Studies at NMU and a M.F.A. Candidate in English.

"But more importantly, we as Indian people have a responsibility to teach these things to others around us, not only our children, but our neighbors and community leaders," said Lindala, a citizen of the Grand River Six Nations.

The teens are learning about American Indian customs and Ojibway language. The teens also watched a film by Dr. Michael Loukinen, an NMU professor, which examines the wild rice harvesting efforts at Lac Vieux Desert near Watersmeet, Michigan. The film, Manoomin: Ojibwa Spirit Food, begins with a prayer said in Anishinaabe by (late) elder Archie McGeshick.

"Translated by his niece, Archie speaks of how important it is to be respectful of the rice beds, put your tobacco in the water, ask for permission to plant - Always ask permission," Lindala said. "His respect for his surroundings was obvious. His voice deep, rhythmic and rugged from age. Even though I couldn't understand the Anishinaabemowin, I understood the sentiment."

Lapinski said the project teaches the secrets of nature to "at-risk youth who may not otherwise learn about this sort of thing."

"It was through this project that the kids observed mature bald eagles, bear cubs in a tree, countless insects and birds, and finally, the quiet stillness our environment can give us if we just stop and listen," Lapinski said.

"If we made even one connection with one of the young people, we consider this project a success," Lapinski said.