Bending the Arc

Gov. Tony Evers, together with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Karen Hyun and Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa Chairwoman Liz Arbuckle, yesterday joined members of the Wild Rice Stewardship Council and stewardship advocates on the Bad River Reservation to celebrate Wisconsin’s first-ever “Wild Rice Week” to raise awareness of and appreciation for the value of wild rice in the state.

Wild Rice Week was established by Executive Order #277, which was signed by Gov. Evers last year as part of the Evers Administration’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations to build upon previous efforts of the Administration to reaffirm the state’s commitment to respecting Tribal sovereignty and fostering strong government-to-government relationships by bolstering the education and awareness of Tribal Treaty Rights and sovereignty and promoting stewardship to protect cultural wild rice resources.  

“Wild rice is a critical part of food security and culture for many Native Nations, and preserving and celebrating the long-established practice of wild rice stewardship in our state is essential to strengthening our government-to-government relationships and our efforts to protect our natural resources,” said Gov. Evers. “My administration and I are committed to ensuring the state is a strong partner in supporting and respecting Tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, cultural practices, and food resources. This week, and every week, we recognize the importance of this resource as well as the hard work of our Tribal partners, advocates, and those who have been hunting and gathering from these lands and waters for centuries to protect wild rice in Wisconsin and ensure its presence for future generations.”

“Wild rice is an important natural resource in Wisconsin, supporting healthy wetlands as a food source and habitat for wildlife and serving a vital role in the culture, identity and spirituality for many Tribal Nations in Wisconsin,” said DNR Secretary Hyun. “Protecting wild rice benefits both the health of our waters and the strong traditions tied to it.”

Read the full online version of this release here.