Indigenous Wild Rice Systems and One Health: A Scoping Literature Review

Wild Rice, an aquatic grass known to First Nations peoples as Manoomin, is a sacred food and cultural keystone integral to their way of life. However, historical colonialism, assimilation and commoditization have restricted First Nations’ relationships with the land and the ecosystem, particularly impacting traditional food practices. Previous literature about Wild Rice varies in its methods, disciplinary approaches, and integration of Indigenous knowledge. To have a systemic understanding that is compatible with Indigenous beliefs, the One Health approach, a theoretical framework that emphasizes the reciprocal relationships between humans, animals, and ecosystems, can be utilized. Despite the importance of Wild Rice to Indigenous peoples and the advantages of the One Health perspective, no previous literature has applied the One Health perspective to this topic. We aim to understand and analyze the relationships between Indigenous Wild Rice Systems and humans, plants, animals, and ecosystems using the One Health perspective. This study is a scoping review of peer-reviewed journal articles and grey literature. Literature concerning either Wild Rice or First Nations and One Health or aspects of One Health (e.g., animals, ecosystem) will be included. Based on preliminary findings, there is only a small body of peer-reviewed research focused on the relationship between Wild Rice and Indigenous peoples. However, a more substantial body of knowledge exists in grey literature. Additional relevant peer-reviewed literature includes studies of First Nations and One Health or the environment, and biological research about Wild Rice. This review highlights the urgent need for decolonial, interdisciplinary, and community-led research integrating One Health and Indigenous methodologies, fostering equitable food sovereignty policies and improved extension and advisory systems for Indigenous and rural communities.