October 19, 2010 > Ohlone Indians and Nature: A Celebration of Tule Ponds and Tyson Lagoon Ohlone Indians and Nature: A Celebration of Tule Ponds and Tyson Lagoon Submitted By Joyce Blueford Ancestors of the Ohlone people wandered into the San Francisco Bay area and found a land of great abundance several thousand years ago. They lived a simple life in harmony with nature and the land, following the cycles of the seasons as they hunted, fished, and gathered food. Certain areas were burned to encourage growth of favored plants and improve grazing areas for animals that they hunted. Tule Ponds at Tyson Lagoon Wetland Center is having a free event on October 23 to celebrate the completion of a Tule Hut as an Eagle Project by Adrian Jaycox of Troop 111 in Fremont. This hut will help the Math Science Nucleus, a non profit that manages this facility, incorporate Ohlone history and lifestyle into environmental and science tours of the facility. The area is a designated storm water retention facility owned by Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. High school students throughout the East Bay helped Adrian complete his project, and he admits, "There is not just one way to build a Tule Hut." They would meet on Saturdays and cut tules and put them together with limited guidance from the Math Science Nucleus. Even Lam Research Corporation spent a few hours helping out. For more information and more pictures on Adrian Jaycox's project go to: http://msnucleus.org/watersheds/tule/eagle/adrian_jaycox.htm The celebration will encourage families to create toys using tules, look for items that the Ohlones would have used and make a spear and musical instrument using elderberry sticks. The event will be from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and is open to the public. Tule Ponds is 100 feet from the Fremont BART station, easily reached by public transportation. For more information visit http://msnucleus.org/watersheds/tule/events.html If you would like to volunteer to help out that day, please contact the Math Science Nucleus (msn@msnucleus.org) or call 510-790-6284. Ohlone Indians and Nature: A Celebration of Tule Ponds and Tyson Lagoon Saturday, October 23 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tule Ponds at Tyson Lagoon 1999 Walnut Ave., Fremont (510) 790-6284