image credit: tule and cattail, drawing by Ooti Maxine; photo credits: Jo Ellen Ryan, Anuj Vaidya, Almendra Garcia.

Report-back from the Weekend

Thank you to all of those who participated in the Tule Teachings event over May 3-4, 2025. We had a rich and replenishing weekend of learning and hands-on practice thanks to Diana Almendariz, Christina Almendariz, Ooti Maxine, Heidi Satter, Monique Sonoquie, and Geoffrey Attardo.

On the crisp morning of May 3, 2025 we gathered in the parking lot of the Yolo Bypass Headquarters and assembled ourselves into a caravan, walkie talkies in hand, and set off on an auto-tour through the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. On our drive to the tule marsh, Heidi Satter (Education Coordination, Yolo Basin Foundation) recounted the history of the basin (see storymap here), which “was once a nearly 80,000-acre wetland teeming with wildlife, from herds of tule elk roaming its marshes to dense clouds of migratory waterfowl seeking winter food and shelter“.

We reached the marsh (at Parking Lot C), and emerged from our vehicles into another world – the world of cattail and tule. It was a glorious day for birding! We saw meadowlarks, marsh wren, grackles, red-winged blackbirds, cowbirds, white-faced ibis, night heron, blue herons, egrets, dunlins, teals, and avocets (pictured above).

As we tasted the succulent base of the tule reed, Diana talked about how tule has long been cultivated and used by the Patwin-Wintun peoples for shelter, clothing and comfort, and to teach the skills necessary for making a variety of baskets and objects for everyday use such as cordage, sleeping mats, dolls, and more.

As with all things Wintun, the cultural use of the material is deeply woven into its ecological significance. Tule enriches the soil, cleans and slows down flowing water, preventing soil erosion, and enabling greater retention in the aquifers. Tule marshes also sequester carbon, surpassing even tropical forests in this regard. In the following clip, Diana talks about the importance of tule and cattail in regenerating microbial and invertebrate communities, which form the basis for the marsh ecosystem.

The next afternoon (Sunday May 4), we gathered at the International House Davis for a hands-on workshop with tule. The evening began with an introduction to Native foods by Monique Sonoquie (Chumash/Tongva) artist, healer, educator, cultural practitioner, who had come down from Willits to share acorn biscuits and Native teas (sea tea with kelp, stinging nettle, yerba sante) with us.

Then we jumped into the world of tule and cattail, with an introduction to the invisible world of invertebrates in the marsh ecosystem by UC Davis Professor of Entomology, Geoffrey Attardo. While Prof. Attardo was brought into this work through his interest in insects as disease-vectors (particularly mosquitos), his work with Diana has now expanded to ask questions about healthy and unhealthy wetland ecosystems (see Bay Nature article; hear IA Hubbub episode). Participants looked through his interactive setup of microscopes and videos to get a closer look at the denizens of the marsh ecosystem.

Diana then introduced us to the cultural contexts of tule, her own personal history with this important wetland plant, and the challenges in reviving and recuperating cultural knowledge in the face of the systematic erasure of wetland ecosystems (95% of wetlands in California have been destroyed), wetland knowledge, and knowledge keepers. She ended her talk with the creation story of the Patwin/Wintun people, of the Maker and the Turtle – which we hope you have the chance to encounter at one of our future events in person!

We ended the afternoon with a hands-on workshop, led by Christina Almendariz and Ooti Maxine, where participants got to work with tule as a construction material to make cordage, dolls, and mats.

Thanks to all our presenters, participants, volunteers, funders, and program partners for making Tule Teachings such a rich weekend!

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Event Announcement

Join us for a weekend of Tule Teachings, led by Diana Almendariz and her daughters Christina Almendariz and Ooti Maxine. Through two free, public events – a field trip and a hands-on workshop – they will introduce the community to the natural and cultural importance of tule, and share their understanding of how tule has been – and can be again – interwoven into our land, waterways and our lives, through stories and touch. 

While rooted in Wintun ecology and culture, learning to care for tule benefits all those who live alongside it. With this in mind, Diana complements her cultural storytelling with scientific knowledge, and encourages a holistic approach to learning where all compatible perspectives are encouraged to thrive.

Field Trip to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area | Suggested Donation please RSVP

When: Saturday May 3, 9 am-12pm
Where: Caravan begins at Yolo Bypass Wildlife Headquarters, 45211 Co Rd 32B (aka Chiles Rd), Davis, CA 95618.
Register Here: bit.ly/tulefieldtrip

This auto-tour through the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area will introduce participants to the natural ecology of these wetlands, along with its plant, animal, insect, and bird familiars. The caravan will stop at 2 locations for exploration and discussion with Diana and other knowledge keepers of the marsh. Space is limited, so ride-shares and carpools are strongly encouraged.

Please complete our registration form so we may gather information on how to best accommodate the needs of our community members. Further instructions (including agenda, what to bring, etc) will be emailed to registrants closer to the event. 

Making with Tule Hands-on Workshop | Suggested Donation please RSVP

When: Sunday, May 4, 3-6pm
Where: International House Davis, backyard
Register Here: bit.ly/tuleteaching

The workshop will introduce participants to how tule has been used historically by Native Californian peoples, and how we might care for it so it can take care of us. Created for beginners, the workshop will help you feel comfortable with handling and using tule for making cordage and/or dolls. Light refreshments will be provided. 

This project is a partnership of the YoloSol Collective, the International House Davis, the Yolo Basin Foundation, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

This project has been made possible in part by a grant from the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, in partnership with the California Arts Council, a state agency, the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and with support from Imagining America.