- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Tribes celebrate tradition at annual Tule Boat Festival
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The practice of an ancient skill provided days of fun and cultural appreciation this past week, as dozens of Pomo tribal members of all ages took to the waters of Clear Lake to show off their tule boat racing prowess.
The 15th annual Tule Boat Festival took place Thursday through Saturday, and drew tribes from around the county and the North Coast region.
The festival celebrated past traditions set against the background of modern challenges, including climate change and protecting Lake County's rich natural resources.
The festival began in the summer of 2001 as the brainchild of tribal member and elder Nelson Hopper, who wanted to show the Big Valley tribal community traditional Pomo tule boat making skills.
That first summer, many people participated in the building of a boat, according to festival organizers.
It was so popular that the next year Big Valley decided to invite other area tribes to come and take part in the boat building, to race the boats, to dance and to share meals together.
Over the past decade and a half, the event has continued to grow and develop into a three-day festival of sharing traditional foods, hosting educational booths from local organizations including the Lake County Museum, artisan and food vendors, and, of course, the boat building and racing.
Big Valley reported that over the years the festival has drawn dancers from as far away as Chumash territory in Southern California.
This year, it included an appearance on Friday by Melissa K. Nelson, Ph.D., president of The Cultural Conservancy and a professor of American Indian Studies at San Francisco State University.
It also featured a visit on Saturday from Arctic Youth Ambassador Brianna Riley, who traveled from Kiana, Alaska, with her mother Martina to participate in the festival: http://bit.ly/29X5Prq .
The lead up to the races started on Thursday, when team members from Big Valley Rancheria, the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, Pomo Nation, Robinson Rancheria, Graton Rancheria and Lake County Tribal Health met at Clear Lake State Park to collect the tules for the boats. Friday was the day for boat construction, back at Big Valley Rancheria.
On Saturday afternoon, it was time to put the boats on the water. Racers came from all age groups – from 6 year olds to seniors.
Broken up into age divisions, each group took turns racing out to buoys set up on Clear Lake and then back to shore.
After a few hours of racing, teams and individuals received ribbons, medals and trophies.
The full results are below, courtesy of Sarah Ryan, environmental director for Big Valley Rancheria. Ryan is a key event organizer who oversaw the Saturday races.
15TH ANNUAL TULE BOAT FESTIVAL RESULTS
Racing teams:
Big Valley Rancheria
Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake
Pomo Nation
Robinson Rancheria
Graton Rancheria
Lake County Tribal Health
DIVISIONS
Girls, ages 6 to 8:
First place: Habematolel Pomo
Second place: Robinson Rancheria
Third place: Pomo Nation
Boys, ages 6 to 8:
First place: Habematolel Pomo
Second place: Big Valley Rancheria
Third place: Lake County Tribal Health
Girls, ages 9 to 12:
First place: Pomo Nation
Second place: Big Valley Rancheria
Third place: Graton Rancheria
Boys, ages 9 to 12:
First place: Pomo Nation
Second place: Lake County Tribal Health
Third place: Robinson Rancheria
Girls, ages 13 to 17:
First place: Pomo Nation
Second place: Robinson Rancheria
Third place: Graton Rancheria
Boys, ages 13 to 17:
First place: Habematolel Pomo
Second place: Robinson Rancheria
Third place: Lake County Tribal Health
Women:
First place: Graton Rancheria
Second place: Habematolel Pomo
Third place: Lake County Tribal Health
Men:
First place: Pomo Nation
Second place: Lake County Tribal Health
Third place: Graton Rancheria
Senior women:
First place: Lake County Tribal Health
Second place: Habematolel Pomo
Third place: Big Valley Rancheria
Senior men:
First place: Big Valley Rancheria
Second place: Habematolel Pomo
Third place: Robinson Rancheria
Team relay:
First place: Pomo Nation
Second place: Habematolel Pomo
Third place: Graton Rancheria
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.