2026 Tule Gathering @ Lake Cuyamaca

On Tuesday, July 28th, Kumeyaay Community College (KCC) hosted its 2026 Tule Gathering Event at Chambers Park at Lake Cuyamaca. The gathering brought together community members and local organizations to take part in the traditional practice of tule harvesting.

What is Tule?

Tule is a tall, fibrous reed that grows along the edges of freshwater marshes, lakes, and wetlands throughout Southern California. For generations, Kumeyaay and other Indigenous communities have relied on tule as a versatile natural resource, using it to construct shelters, mats, baskets, clothing, and boats. Tule boats, built by bundling and lashing the dried reeds together, were historically used to travel across inlets, marshes, lakes, and bays, and remain an important symbol of Indigenous maritime tradition today.

From Harvest to Boat

The tule gathered during this event will be put to use in a series of upcoming workshops, where community members will learn the traditional techniques used to construct tule boats. Once complete, these boats will be launched into the Pacific Ocean during Walter Munk Day at La Jolla Shores on October 3, 2026 — an annual celebration honoring the legacy of renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography scientist Walter Munk, as well as the Kumeyaay heritage and culture of the region.

Together, the gathering event, the boat-building workshops, and the eventual launch are designed to bring community members closer to one another and to reconnect them with Hasil Ewik - the ocean.

Gratitude and Support

This event was made possible through the generous support of The Prebys Foundation.

KCC extends special thanks to Priscilla Ortiz, KCC Program Coordinator, and Nicholas Smith, Language Nest Coordinator, for their dedication in planning and carrying out this event. Additional thanks go to Jay Blaylock, General Manager at Lake Cuyamaca, for graciously allowing the harvest to take place at this location and for his continued support in championing this effort.

Stay tuned for more updates on the upcoming tule boat-building workshops.