Restoring Manoomin in Brokenhead Ojibway Nation through a community-led approach: implications on food security and the local economy
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2024-09-18
Authors
Nwankwo, Uche
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Manoomin (Zizania palustris), also known as wild rice, is a culturally, spiritually, nutritionally, and ecologically important plant to the Ojibway people. Production and management of Manoomin are deeply rooted in Indigenous food system knowledge (IFSK), which was negatively affected by colonial legacies. This research asked whether Manoomin production can play a significant role in the Ojibway economy amid high food insecurity, structural barriers to traditional food access, and challenges to sustainable livelihoods. My mixed methodology research employed the need-based approach (NBA) in investigating a sustainable pathway to restoring Manoomin to Brokenhead Ojibway Nations (BON). Community members enrolled in the Kitigay pilot program, a project-based post-secondary education program, took the lead in restoring Manoomin in BON and transforming the abandoned weedy Bison Ranch farm for gardening and orchard planting. An initial 60 pounds of Manoomin was procured and planted in BON Rivers in October 2024, with community members' active participation. Later, a community café was organized in collaboration with community members. The community café’s impact resulted in the BON Chief and Council purchasing and planting an additional 2,000 pounds of Manoomin in 2023, applying IFSK.
A community café, survey, and participatory action research undertaken in this study indicate that Manoomin is regarded as an essential component of the Ojibway people’s food chain, economy, and environment. Eighty-one percent of the 21 participants who completed the semi-structured survey indicated the likelihood of participating in future community-led Manoomin restoration projects. In ranked order (1 = not at all important to 5 = very important), the three most compelling reasons among ten variables for participating in the community café are transferring IFSK to the youth (90%), reviving IFSK (88%), and income and employment opportunities (86%). The Spearman’s correlation results suggest a strong positive correlation between reviving IFSK and transferring IFK to the youth (r =.67, n = 21, p < .001). A strong positive correlation exists between reviving IFSK and decolonizing IFSK (r =.57, n = 21, p < .007). The Manoomin restoration in BON presents a compelling argument for community-led participatory approaches to addressing food insecurity problems in Indigenous communities.
Description
Keywords
Indigenous Food System Knowledge, Manoomin, Food insecurity, Sustainable livelihoods, Co-learning, Need-based, Kitigay