“Wild rice is part of us, this is what we are.”
— Mike Robinson, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe

Wild Rice is more than a food.

Called Anishinaabe, the ancestors of the Leech Lake Ojibwe lived north of Maine along the Atlantic coast. As many as 1,500 years ago, they were given seven prophecies to follow, one of these directed the people to move to the place where food grew on the water.

Manoomin, wild rice, is considered a gift given to the Ojibwe by the Creator and is integral to our history, culture, and nutrition. It is a food that is uniquely ours.

“We thank the water and the spirits in the water. Before you take, you have to give.”
— Gary Charwood, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe

The Ojibwe people have a sacred bond with water. The lakes, streams, and the Mississippi River on the Leech Lake Reservation nurture scores of rice-producing beds and more wild rice naturally grows here than anywhere else in the United States. We are grateful for the abundance of Manoomin we hand-gather every year and are actively teaching our youth the significance of this tradition.