Restoring manomin (wild rice): a case study with Wabaseemoong Independent Nations, Ontario

• Main Author: Kuzivanova, Valeria
• Other Authors: Davidson-Hunt, Iain (Natural Resources Management)
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Ecocultural restoration; Wild rice; Anishinaabeg
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/31160

This thesis focuses on manomin (wild rice) ecocultural restoration by Wabaseemoong Independent Nations (WIN) in Northwestern Ontario. Ecocultural restoration includes the recovery of habitats and re-establishment of relationships between WIN and manomin. The objectives are to: 1) Describe the past and present state of rice-related practices in WIN and changes of the 20th century 2) Select and document a restoration site(s) 3) Identify the possibilities for the involvement of school students in the restoration process 4) Design a prototype for a wild rice camp that contributes to relationship re-establishment. The main pillars of the WIN restoration process - traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), site selection, involvement of children and young people, and transformative learning experienced by adult participants of a wild rice camp – are the main study components. The project is guided by a design-based methodology with data gathered through interviews, design workshops, participant observation, and biophysical methods. === May 2016