article

Native rice, native hands: the Ikwe Marketing Collective

Cultural survival quarterly • 11 (1) • Published In 1987 • Pages: 63-64

By: LaDuke, Winona.

Abstract

This is a very brief article about Anishinabeg (Mississippi Chippewa) attempt to profit from a growing market in wild rice. Beginning in 1968, the local rice industry was earning 11 million dollars for its 60 white farmers, who lived on private land in the reserve. The native harvesters were paid only 65 cents a pound for wild rice that retailed at 5-10 dollars per pound. In 1985, the Ikwe Marketing Collective was formed to get a better price for rice and crafts. The collective buys the rice from the native harvesters and sells it directly to retailers for 4.50 to 5.50 dollars per pound. The author stresses the need for local natives to maintain a subsistence base and sell their surplus at a fair market price.

HRAF PubDate

2000

Region

North America

Sub Region

Arctic and Subarctic

Document Type

article

Evaluation

Creator Type

Indigenous Person

Document Rating

4: Excellent Secondary Data

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

Ian Skoggard ; 1998

Field Date

Not specified

Coverage Date

1968-1986

Coverage Place

Twentieth Century Ojibwa, White Earth reservation, Minnesota, United States

Notes

Winona LaDuke

LCCN

8964755

LCSH

Ojibwa Indians