"If Seed sprouts,
young fish will hide from Heron
among leaves longing for sun.
Duck will build her nest along the shore
and protect ducklings in the field."
This lovely book is a gift to all young readers. Written in two languages - Anishinaabemowin and English - it introduces a young Anishinaabe child who shares the importance of one prized seed. The mnoomin seed has connections to a number of creatures that play a role in making its harvest possible, as is being done on the pages of this informative and elegant book.
The seed remembers Mayfly whose water dance attracted Pike's attention when hunger was at hand. Pike, in turn, fed the earth beneath the water's surface. While Muskrat made a feast of the rice plant, Eagle showed concern for the amount being eaten and stopped Muskrat from taking too much.
Moose played an important role as well. Hooves ensured that crowded plants were thinned and had the room they needed to grow. As the reeds sprouted, they offered protection for young fish who were often the food of choice for a hungry Heron. As the shoots grew out of the water, they provided protection for a family of ducklings whose nest was built close to the shore. Finally, the larvae that fed on mnoomin's stalks provided sustenance for night-feeding bats.
The child's family knows when the mnoomin is ripe and ready for harvest. During that time, the family offers gifts to the earth and asks for a successful harvest. Once home, they tend to their bounty and replenish the earth with what they have saved to ensure a ftuture harvest.
"Each seed we sow is a story for the future.
Each seed we sow is a gift for those to come."
Mnoomin has great importance in both cultural and environmental ways. Reading this exceptional book offers all children a chance to learn more about Indigenous culture. The exceptional woodland artwork informs with telling details, and adds enduring context for this harvest tale.
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