Tule Basket Weaving

Tule (pronounced TOO-lee) is a tall reed that grows in the shallow wetlands and marshes of California. Before European contact, it was one of the most useful materials for Native peoples in the region. They used it to build houses, weave mats and clothing, build small boats, and make baskets. Some baskets were woven tightly to hold water; others were woven loosely for sifting. Making a tule basket starts with harvesting the reeds, usually in autumn. The reeds are then split and dried. Later, they are soaked again to make them soft and easy to work with. Most tule basketry does not use simple over-under weaving. Instead, it uses a technique called twining. In twining, two or three strands of reed are wound around a set of rigid support ribs. At the same time, the strands twist around each other. This creates a tight, interlocked stitch that is much stronger than a loosely wrapped one. Colonization badly disrupted this knowledge among California's Indigenous communities. Many specific techniques nearly disappeared completely. In recent decades, however, Native scholars and artisans have worked to bring these skills back. They study historical baskets in museum collections and relearn the construction methods firsthand. Because of this work, tule weaving continues as a living practice today, not just as a historical record.