The Tule River Tribe of California is passing on one of its oldest traditions to a new generation.

Students in the tribe's summer education program are learning how to make tule reed boats. The tribe depended on the small boats to travel local waterways.

"It's fun learning about what they used to do in the past," Lee Cruz, 12, told The Fresno Bee. "It's the first time I've ever seen something like this done."

After opening a casino in 1996, the tribe has improved educational opportunities on the reservation. The tribe bought the Porterville College campus and will open its first K-3 school in the fall.

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Reeds apart (The Fresno Bee 8/8)
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