Wild rice and acorns were two crops harvested in autumn by the Indians in great quantities to be prepared and stored for food that enabled them to survive the winter. When the Algonquins were driven westward by the Iroquois, they found vast fields of wild rice growing in the shallow water along the shores of lakes, marshes and rivers in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, southern Canada and the upper Mississippi valley. It was formerly plentiful in parts of Cook County and still grows in the Chain O'Lakes region of Lake county, Illinois, and in places along the Illinois River valley. Bloody battles were fought for the possession of rice territory, the Dakotas being forced out of the Minnesota lake region by the Chippewas on that account.
Wild rice is a coarse aquatic grass with short roots that are easily pulled up.
It lives only one year but bears such quantities of seed that, in spite of what the Indians gathered and what was eaten by huge flocks of wild geese, ducks, and blackbirds, it was plentiful. These grains fall very quickly after they ripen in midsummer and early autumn, especially on a windy day. Our September was the Indians' Rice Moon, when they pitched their lodges on the shores of the good rice lakes, sent out scouts to watch for the ripening, and prepared for the harvest. On the night before the appointed day, the chief made a sacrifice, prayers and offerings to the Great Spirit, the Underground Powers and the Thunderers, after which there was a feast. Following the harvest there was a festival of thanksgiving.