See below for English description.
Un enfant anishinaabe explore l´histoire d´une précieuse graine de mnoomin et le cercle de vie que le mnoomin entretient.
Rédigée en anishinaabemowin et en français, l´histoire se déroule au moment de la récolte. L´enfant tient une graine de mnoomin et imagine toute la vie qui a rendu possible une seule graine: l´éphémère, le brochet, le rat musqué, l´aigle et l´orignal ont tous eu un rôle à jouer dans sa création. Que se passera-t-il si la graine germe? Les feuilles immergées abriteront les jeunes poissons, les pousses protégeront les canetons, les tiges nourriront les larves, qui à leur tour fourniront de la nourriture aux chauves-souris... jusqu´à ce que le mnoomin soit à nouveau prêt à être récolté.
Cette histoire magnifiquement écrite et illustrée révèle l´importance culturelle et écologique du mnoomin.
In this bilingual book, an Anishinaabe child explores the story of a precious mnoomin seed and the circle of life mnoomin sustains.
Written in Anishinaabemowin and French, the story opens at harvest time. A child holds a mnoomin seed and imagines all the life that made a single seed possible -- Mayfly, Pike, Muskrat, Eagle, and Moose all had a part to play in bringing the seed into being. What will happen if the seed sprouts? Underwater leaves will shelter young fish, shoots will protect ducklings, stalks will feed larvae, in turn providing food for bats...until finally mnoomin will be ready to harvest again.
We follow the child and family through a harvest day as they make offerings of tobacco, then gently knock ripe seeds into their canoe. On shore, they prepare the seeds, cook up a feast, and gratefully plant some seeds they´d set aside.
This beautifully written and illustrated story reveals the cultural and ecological importance of mnoomin. As the author´s note explains, many Anishinaabeg agree that "wild rice" is an inaccurate term for this plant relation, since part of the harvest is sown every year to help sustain human and non-human beings.
Original title: The Gift of Mnoomin