Our Future
Key Terms
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Knockers
Lightweight handmade sticks Ojibwe people use to loosen, or “knock,” wild rice kernels from rice stems.
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Tobacco
A plant with important meaning in traditional Ojibwe culture. Used for spiritual, religious, and ceremonial purposes.
Explore: Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Seal
Flags and seals use symbols to represent important ideas. The American flag's design represents the original 13 colonies and today's 50 states. Select the options below to learn what the seal of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe's symbols mean.
Nature and the environment.
A traditional birchbark home, or wigwam. The triangle is equilateral, which symbolizes the importance of balance between the other elements on the seal.
The peace pipe and two brown feathers symbolize the people of Leech Lake.
The importance of justice, law, and self government.
Education.
Try These Questions
That is correct!
The Leech Lake Ojibwe are teaching young people from elementary school through college about wild rice.
That is correct!
Take a Kid Ricing Day is not about earning money.
That is correct!
Wild rice provides extra income for community members, provides food and breeding grounds for animals and waterfowl, and its harvest and use are one way that the Ojibwe pass on their traditions.
Story Project Planner
Choose Images for Story Project
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Image 1 of 9
Toggle Favorite "We give students a pretty full understa...Steve Smith, instructor, Leech Lake Tribal College
"We give students a pretty full understanding of wild rice, and not only the scientific angle, but the cultural and historical angle, and talk about threats also, and what the future is for wild rice."
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Image 2 of 9
Toggle Favorite In the Environmental Studies program at ...In the Environmental Studies program at Leech Lake Tribal College, students learn how to preserve wild rice beds. 2010
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Image 3 of 9
Toggle Favorite "We have to understand values and we hav...Elaine Fleming, instructor, Leech Lake Tribal College
"We have to understand values and we have to respect all things, that I am no greater than that tree, I am no greater than a stone."
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Image 4 of 9
Toggle Favorite At the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig school, student...At the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig school, students learn Native language and culture. Part of this school's curriculum is about wild rice. 2010
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Image 5 of 9
Toggle Favorite Students in Leech Lake gain traditional ...Students in Leech Lake gain traditional knowledge about wild rice that has been passed down for generations as well as scientific information about the plant's habitat. 2009
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Image 6 of 9
Toggle Favorite Wild rice is much more than a commercial...Wild rice is much more than a commercial crop. It is sacred to the Ojibwe people. It remains, to this day, a key part of the Ojibwe diet, culture, and economy. 2007
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Image 7 of 9
Toggle Favorite "A people's heritage is their past."Colleen Wells, archeologist, Leech Lake Heritage Sites Program
"A people's heritage is their past."
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Image 8 of 9
Toggle Favorite By protecting the wild rice, the Leech L...By protecting the wild rice, the Leech Lake people are protecting their culture. Children learn about their traditions not only by ricing, but through ceremonies, stories, and dance. 2007
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Image 9 of 9
Toggle Favorite "We'll always have a good rice crop, if ...Levi Brown, environmental director, Leech Lake Division of Resource Management
"We'll always have a good rice crop, if we have positive ricers who are out for the right reasons."
Take Notes for Story Project
Take notes and save images to help answer these questions. Your images and notes will be saved to the Story Project where you can use them to create your own slideshow.
