Manomin (Wild Rice) in the Kiji Sibi (Ottawa River) Valley: An Exploration of Traditional Food, Development and Decolonization by Geri Blinick A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Geography Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario © Geri Blinick, 2012 Library and Archives Bibliotheque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du 1+1 Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-93630-6 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-93630-6 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distrbute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non­ support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. 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Canada Manomin (Wild Rice) in the Kiji Sibi (Ottawa River) Valley: An Exploration of Traditional Food, Development and Decolonization ABSTRACT Manomin, or wild rice (Z izania sp.), is an ecologically significant wetland species, a highly nutritious food and a central food (culturally, spiritually and physically) for Anishinaabe people. The Ardoch Algonquin First Nation and Allies (AAFNA) is a community with strong ties to traditional ways of harvesting, processing, preparing and sharing manomin. AAFNA has also engaged in numerous oppositional stances to industrial developments throughout Algonquin territory. This thesis examines how development has affected the Ardoch Algonquin's ability to maintain their responsibility for manomin, how AAFNA has responded to the challenges and/or opportunities of such developments, and highlights Algonquin-settler history and contemporary relations. The author concludes with a discussion about the implications for settler responsibilities in light of the research findings, underscoring the need for a commitment and action towards genuine engagement and honouring of historical agreements, towards relationships rooted in responsibility, respect, equity and justice, and towards decolonization. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to extend my warm appreciation to the many people who have supported this work. There are so many people who have offered their generosity, time and knowledge over the course of this project and to each of you I am so grateful. Most importantly, I would like to recognize and thank the community who so warmly welcomed me and my questions, granting me the privilege to participate, share and learn from you. I would especially like to thank Harold, Mireille, Paula, Bob and Mitchell for welcoming me into your homes, your offices, your boats and your community gatherings and for taking the time to share your incredible insights - Migwetch. I would like to thank both of my co-supervisors, Patricia Ballamingie and Simon Brascoupe, for their wealth of knowledge and resources, their patience and their sustained support through the various junctures along the way. I am honoured to have been a recipient of their generosity. Patricia's guidance, encouragement, thoughtful and critical reflections and unwavering support have been invaluable throughout this entire learning process. I am grateful to Simon for enabling this incredible opportunity for me to better understand Indigenous-settler relations. I have so appreciated his willingness to welcome me into his home and for opening so many doors for me to be able to better understand our collective histories, relationships and responsibilities. I have been astounded with the generosity I have encountered throughout this learning journey and am grateful to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and resources. I would like to express my gratitude to the many teachers I have encountered along the way who have helped to cultivate my curiosity and provide me with guidance. I am eternally grateful to my parents for their encouragement and love from the very beginning. I am also most fortunate to have John as my partner, and to have had his support in all that I take on. Finally, I could not have done this without the humour, kindness and company of my friends and family. Manomin (Wild Rice) in the Kiji Sibi (Ottawa River) Valley: An Exploration of Traditional Food, Development and Decolonization TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page i Abstract ii Acknowledgments iii Table of Contents v List of Acronyms ix List of Figures ix Preface 1 Chapter 1 - Substantive Context 2 1.1 TheAnishinaabe and Algonquin Nations 5 1.2 Names, Terms and Identity in this Study 8 1.3 500 Years Later: Continuing Expansion, Novel Enclosures 10 An Era of Neoliberalism and Neoliberalization 12 Food Today 14 Transnational Movements of Altereity, Creativity and Solidarity 19 Food Sovereignty and the Alternative Food Movement 20 1.4 Indigenous Resilience, Resistance and Revitalization of Traditional Foods 24 1.5 The Ecology of Manomin / Wild Rice {Zizania aquatica, and Zizania palustris) 30 Manomin : a Local Gift, a Local “Resource”, yet Globally Situated 35 v 1.6 Ardoch Algonquin First Nation and Allies (AAFNA) and Ongoing Omamiwinini Relations in the Valley of the Kiji Sibi 37 Manomin and the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation and Allies 41 Rice Wars (1979-1981) 42 Continuous Assertion of Algonquin Sovereignty and Jurisdiction by AAFNA 44 1.7 A Contingent Community? 56 1.8 A Resilient Community 57 Chapter 2 - Conceptual Framework 60 2.1 Deconstructing and Decolonizing the Production of Knowledge 60 2.2 Deconstructing Power, Domination, Resistance and Negotiation 66 Politicizing Ecology: A Short History 69 A Critical Political Ecological Case Study 73 Examining Discourse, Knowledge, Identity and Power: Poststructural Approaches 76 Theorizing Intersectional Oppressions, Shifting Nexuses of Power and Deconstructing Home: Some Critical Feminist Insights 81 Deconstructing Race and Identity: Decolonizing Academic Inquiry 87 2.3 Theoretical Applications in this Research 89 Deconstructing “Development” 89 Deconstructing Resistance 92 Working Across Scales 98 Exposing Linkages Between the Workings of Capitalism and Colonial Relations 100 Understanding Nature as Socially Constructed 103 Chapter 3 - Methodological Approach 108 3.1 Methodologies guiding this study 108 Taking Account of Indigenous Intellectual Traditions: Indigenist and Decolonizing Methodologies 109 Examining the Production of Knowledge: Postcolonial Methodologies 115 Researching through Reflexivity, Relationships and Attention to Particularity: Critical Feminist Methodologies 119 vi Transformative Asset-Based Research: Critical Post-structural Methodologies 124 Grasping multi-scalar interaction: Critical ethnographic methodologies 126 3.2 Practicing Research and Implementing Decolonizing Research Methods 129 Chapter 4: Algonquin-Settler Relations in the valley of the Kiji Sibi 139 4.1 OmamIwinin/'-European Relations and Agreements in Omamiwinini Territory: 1603-1867 140 4.2 Regulation of Indigenous Identity / Indian Status 150 4.3 Resisting Dispossession: Algonquin Petitions and the Algonquin Land Claim 154 4.4 Maintaining a Colonial Present through Judicial and Legal Processes in Canada 160 ^ An Ongoing Colonial Order: Maintained Through “a great array of bayonets and cannons” (Thobani, 2007: 35) 165 Chapter 5: “Development” and Manomin - Current Challenges and/or Opportunities 169 5.1 Interpretation and representation of the research results 170 5.2 Manomin in Ardoch: A consequence of 19th century “development” in the Ottawa Valley 172 5.3 Maintaining access to manomin at Mud Lake 182 Herbicide use in hydro-electric lines 183 Resisting the commercialization of manomin 184 Effects of motorboat activity and shoreline and hydrological management 190 Uranium exploration and mining in the Mississippi watershed: a threat to manomin, ecosystemic and community health 200 The Algonquin Comprehensive Land Claim and Manomin 206 The Contemporary Food System, Social Change and Manomin 211 5.4 Discussion 216 vii Chapter 6: Conclusion 219 6.1 Research Limitations 220 6.2 Reviewing the Research Questions Guiding this Study 222 6.3 “Development” and the Ardoch Algonquin First