Leah Lemm, a citizen of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, explores the history and significance of manoomin, or wild rice, a food sacred to her people.

Leah has spent her career making radio, making music and helping tell stories. She’s a mom and spouse who lives in the north woods of Minnesota.

Leah practices her culture in many ways. She’s been slowly learning Ojibwemowin, the Ojibwe language. She helps share Native stories in her work as an MPR News editor who leads our Native News team. She stays active and attends community events. And every couple of years she harvests maple sap for syrup.

But aside from cooking her famous Ojibwe fried rice, Leah didn’t feel connected to the significance of manoomin — a sacred plant revered for its sustenance and deep connection to Indigenous identity and heritage. So, she set out with a film crew to connect with her cultural roots through the tradition of wild rice harvesting.

Join her on her journey as she shares moments from the film, “Finding Manoomin: A Search for the Spirit of Wild Rice.”