Meet the Protector of Northern Michigan, Kira Davis

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The Protector

Kira Davis went wild rice harvesting last summer—taking a quiet afternoon in a canoe to gather grains from aquatic plants in the lake shallows as her elders did.

Davis, an Odawa woman who grew up in Petoskey and now lives in Suttons Bay with her family, shares that wild rice—or manoomin in Anishinaabemowin—is sacred in her culture. “It is a connection to who we are, it’s part of our creation story.”

Days immersed in Mother Earth’s wild beauty are “a given” for Davis who holds a national post with The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). She works as an advocate for proper management of national parks throughout the Great Lakes region. And it’s a breathtaking roster of land and shorelines she helps protect: The Apostle Islands. Pictured Rocks. Isle Royale. Sleeping Bear Dunes.

As an Odawa woman, she views her role in life as a protector of water and has dedicated herself personally and professionally to taking care of the Great Lakes. She was hired by the NPCA for her expertise of wildlife and water quality—career highlights before this include establishing a Tribally approved Clean Water Act for Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and restoring the natural flow of rivers and streams to relink wildlife corridors with the Conservation Resource Alliance—but she brought along an entire world of traditional ecological knowledge, too.

Though she’s never taken a role because of prestige, she says. “It’s more of my journey. It’s my responsibility in a way.”

She learned early on about women’s role in taking care of the water. The moment she “felt it ” was while joining Josephine Mandamin, then in her 60s and one of the original Anishinaabe grandmother walkers.

“She was walking around every Great Lake—and many inland lakes—at the time for advocacy of water.” The Little Traverse Bay Bands hosted her and her entourage, and Mandamin shared with them a ceremony that moved Davis, reaffirming her path.

“I think water is going to unite us. Water is alive and it’s strong and it’s a spirit.” Others may have different philosophies, behaviors, cultures, she notes, “But we know that all living things need water. There’s no other way. We can rally around that.”

She is also led by another principal: thinking seven generations ahead. “Yes, it really changes the decisions when it comes to the issues we have within the science realm, and with funding. If we’re only thinking a few years ahead, we’re just putting band-aids on the problem.”

She says her cohorts at NPCA support her balance of western science and traditional ecological knowledge. “There is a feeling that I can be myself, and am respected for who I am, even though maybe I have a little different ideology. For instance, [the notion that] we’re all equal with every other living thing. We’re not the smartest or the dominant species in our creation story. We weren’t first. It was the plants and animals. They taught humans and shared that incredible balance among all living things.”

So, when grappling with and solving issues facing our natural resources, “We don’t always need to be the dominant creature,” Davis says. “It’s really about the love and respect of that thing. When I harvested wild rice, I spent the whole day. I listen to the rice. When harvesters spend that much time with a living thing—going out there every season for 20 years—you’re gonna start to learn from it.

“This knowledge was always inside of me. It makes my job easier for me to walk where I need to walk.”

Meet All 7 North Stars of Northern Michigan

These women are connecting the dots, bending the norms and lighting the road ahead. Get the March issue of Traverse Northern Michigan magazine to view our full International Women's Month feature, or view all 7 stories separately at the links below.

Get to know more Northern Michigan North Stars:

• Meet the Protector of Northern Michigan, Kira Davis
• Meet Northern Michigan’s Liaison, Beatriz Moreno
• Meet Northern Michigan’s Joy Creator, Heather Spooner
• Meet Northern Michigan’s Alchemist, Geri Lefebre
• Meet Northern Michigan’s Conservationist, Liz Petrella McKellar
• Meet the Dream Believer of Northern Michigan, Laura Galbraith
• Meet Northern Michigan’s Anchor, Jennifer Shorter