This week’s Learning Together post is by Missy Knott, our Indigenous Partnerships and Housing Worker <3
September is always a special time of year across Nogojiwanong and surrounding territories because it is ricing season. For this week’s Learning Together, I wanted to share a bit of my own journey on the water this past month, share what Mnoomin (wild rice) means to our health and culture, and reflect on why celebrating traditional practices brings so much life to our community.
What is Mnoomin and Why It Belongs in Everyone’s Cupboard
Mnoomin (which translates to “the good seed” or “sacred grain”) isn’t actually a paddy rice at all—it’s an aquatic marsh grass native to the shallow waters and lakes of these lands. Historically, it was a central food staple that sustained Anishinaabe communities through long winters, and it remains a sacred gift and indicator of clean water and environmental health.
Nutritiously, it is an absolute powerhouse. Mnoomin is naturally gluten-free, packed with plant-based protein, rich in dietary fiber, and loaded with essential minerals like zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins. Unlike cultivated wild rice, traditionally finished hand-harvested Mnoomin carries a rich, earthy, nutty flavor, and fuels the body with clean, lasting energy. It’s a complete, nutrient-dense food that I’d love to see in everyone’s kitchen cupboard!
A Journey Rooted in Name and Tradition
My own deep connection to Mnoomin started long before I ever stepped into a canoe with ricing sticks. When I was 14 years old, I received my spirit name: Manoomin Gnomwe Kwe, which means “Singing Wild Rice Girl.”
Even with that name carrying me through life, my active hands-on ricing journey really began seven years ago when Mnoominkewin held its very first gathering. My younger sister was asked to drum and sing at the event, so I brought her. Being there in that space, surrounded by community and tradition, reignited that path for me.
Fast forward seven years, and this season marked Mnoominkewin’s 7th annual gathering—a full-day celebration open to everyone, free from sunrise ceremony until sunset. The gathering was originally inspired by the history of canoeing over to the Curve Lake Pow Wow and seeing so many folks gathered together for a day of cultural celebration, knowing it was possible to celebrate the culture and the Mnoomin in that same spirit.
All My Relations & Ecosystem Health
This year, the theme for Mnoominkewin was “All My Relations” (Nii’inawe Mnoomin / Kina N’demagnag), which speaks directly to the interconnectedness of all living things. When we look at Mnoomin, it is a masterclass in how ecosystem health depends on living in balance with our relations.
Mnoomin beds provide critical habitat and spawning grounds for fish, shelter and food for waterfowl, migratory birds, and muskrat, and help stabilize shoreline sediment while filtering water. No matter how hard we try to rehabilitate the rice beds, so many environmental factors—from water levels to temperature—impact production and yield. This season, high winds kept us off the water a number of times when we tried to head out.
Seeing Mnoomin through the lens of “All My Relations” reminds us that we are not separate from nature. When the rice beds struggle, the fish, birds, water quality, and human communities all feel the impact. Caring for the rice means caring for the entire water ecosystem and recognizing that every plant, animal, water drop, and human is part of one extended family.
I’ve been so lucky to learn alongside Black Duck Wild Rice, who have been incredible mentors to me. I got out on the water with them last year when the yield was healthier, and again this season. Beyond harvesting, Black Duck does incredible work encouraging the community to learn the entire process. This year, they hosted a learning day strictly for Curve Lake community members, which featured a deeply meaningful talk by Chief Taynar Simpson about the personhood of Rice Lake.
Canoeing to Pow Wow & Celebrating Culture
Inspired by the rice and the traditions on the water, I ended up canoeing over to Pow Wow this year. Getting lost in the rice beds and doing a bit of fishing along the way, while knowing my family was on the shore dancing and celebrating, was an unforgettable experience.
Pow Wow is a vibrant, joyous gathering centered on song, dance, family, honour, and community connection. Being on the water, surrounded by Mnoomin, while hearing the drums roll across the lake and knowing my loved ones were dancing on the shore was a profound reminder of how deeply interconnected our culture, our land, and our families really are.
Celebrating these land-based practices keeps our connection to the water alive and breathes health and vitality into the entire community.
As we move further into autumn, I encourage everyone to reflect on the land beneath our feet, the waters that sustain us here in Nogojiwanong, and the rich web of relations that nourishes us all.
If you’d like to learn more about local restoration efforts and the community gatherings centered around the harvest, you can check out Mnoominkewin.
Thank you for taking a moment to Learn Together 🧡
