Response to Winona LaDuke’s “Ricekeepers”

The Most Wondrous Seed

            This article is infuriating. But when reading it for the first time I wasn’t all that mad. I have read many articles and watched many videos telling the story of how a large group of people got their livelihood taken away by a more powerful group of money driven people, all in the name of “progress”. Being more of an auditory learner, I didn’t angry until I listened to Winona LaDuke speak. She made me realize the ownership over life forms is at the center of this conflict and it’s becoming exceedingly important to know the ways in which biocolonialism will affect the future. Biocolonialism in simple terms is only a continuation of the oppression and harmful power relations that have occurred throughout history between indigenous and western cultures, all playing a part in the current forms of cultural imperialism. In this situation, even the language reflects the unethical ways people with power make decisions for those with less. The article tells the reader that the researchers at University of Minnesota “decided it was time to liberate the rice from the indigenous people”(2). There is something innately empowering about liberating someone or something that humans are drawn to but because of this more often than not others suffer through indirect repercussions. What is confusing is that rice was not in a bad situation that it needed to be saved from so to decide to “liberate” something for your own benefit not its is completely unethical.

Early on in the reading, LaDuke states that the genetic modification of rice is an “attack on the essential nature of the rice itself” (2). This is accurate because the future of Ojibwe wild rice was not in danger. It did not need to be altered in order for it to survive as a species, and even if it did, who should be considered qualified enough to say that it needs to be saved? Furthermore, by modifying the crop and making it impossible for indigenous lake rice to compete with paddy rice prices, the University is not only disrespecting a culture, it is knowingly destroying the livelihoods of the people within it. LaDuke’s argument that the security of true wild rice as a food source is threatened by the decreasing amount biodiversity within the crop is very valid.  The likeliness of accidental contamination of indigenous bodies of water containing rice is being elevated each time a new cultivator begins another operation. The root issue is the same as it is with organic farmers crops getting contaminated by neighboring pesticide-using farmers. In the minds of many, there really isn’t a fair solution, as both groups should have the right to farm in the way they choose. But fairness is irrelevant when you are taking about altering a piece of nature solely for profit. In addition, the contamination in both examples only has consequences for one party. I only see one solution to both issues; if your cultivation of a crop is damaging another and therefore stopping that party from bringing in as much revenue or hindering indigenous cultural practices from being carried out, your cultivation should not be legal.

When I typed in “wild rice package” into Google, one of the packages (actual picture attached below) said “Minnesota Wild Rice (cultivated)” on the front and had a photo of two ducks taking off from some body of water. In my eyes, this packaging is both a success and ironic. First, the success is the fact that the farm is required to label their paddy cultivating practices. This was only required and done because of the hard work put forth by the Ojibwe people. Second, I think the label is ironic because the ducks on this packages label are unknowingly aiding in depriving these people of a sacred way of life. When searching further I found that the annual revenue estimate for this cultivators operation is 1 to 2.5 million dollars (Godward Wild Rice Farms). In addition, the website selling this particular wild rice advocates that “the Godward’s operate the oldest wild rice farm in MN (likely the entire US) started in 1950 in the Crosslake, Minnesota area” (Autumn Wings). Both of these findings were disturbing in their own way but both represent the western cultures way of operating and thinking. I think those who cannot see the harm this way of life causes have been so far removed from traditional care for the planet that they are no longer capable of understanding the opposite point of view. And that doesn’t make me mad, just sad.