Tule is related to papyrus, one of the most famous plants worldwide due to its use by the ancient Egyptians. See how basketweaving becomes an essential part of Native American life and creativity on 'Artbound' S9 E8: The Art of Basketweaving. In addition to Native North America, tule and its relatives are used around the world. Two major species in California are the common tule ( Schoenoplectus acutus) and California bulrush ( Schoenoplectus californicus). It is one of the most versatile plants in California, and multiple species grow in different environmental regions. Tule (pronounced too-lee) is one of those fascinating plants that has been a part of California Indian culture for millennia. This thought prompted a discussion between Tima and myself about an essential plant in Native California: tule. Her words stuck with me when thinking about California Indian material culture, and how important one singular plant can be. God can use the normal loving relationships within a family, even when the people involved are unaware of it.Tima Link, when she describes herself, says: “I’m not just a basket weaver, I’m a weaver.” In addition to baskets, she weaves cordage, nets, baby cradles, headdresses, bow strings, houses, and boats. I have added various beetles, flies, gnats & other flying insects in the air above the water.Ģ:1-10 HUMANITY, Family Relationships (2.45D) The white water bird watching the scene (see middle left of this scene) is a Great Egret (Ardea alba) also known as Common Egret, Large Egret or Great White Heron. The many long stemmed plants are Papyrus sedge (also known as paper reed, Indian matting plant & Nile grass, Cyperus papyrus) which provide convenient cover for Moses’ mother as she sends Moses off in his little reed boat down the river Nile.

It can be seen in numerous stone carvings and paintings, including the walls of the famous temple of Karnak. This species was the dominant lotus in Egyptian art, where it is frequently depicted in connection with scenes of figures apparently dancing or in significant spiritual rites. Its original habitat may have been along the Nile and other locations in East Africa. The leaves are broadly rounded, 25–40 cm across, with a notch at the leaf stem. The flowers have pale bluish-white to sky-blue or mauve petals, smoothly changing to a pale yellow in the centre of the flower. This lotus is used to produce perfumes since ancient times. To reflect this oppression & poverty I have drawn Miriam with a patched brown sackcloth robe, tied around the waist with an old piece of yellow rope.īlue Egyptian water lily or sacred blue lily (Nymphaea caerulea). You can just make out the narrow pathway through the reeds Moses’ mother has made to get to the river bank.Įxodus 1:11 informs us that the Egyptian people (at the command of Pharaoh, their king) put slave masters over the Hebrew people to oppress them with forced labour. If you look closely you will see the loops & ties that Moses’ mother will use to secure the top of the basket to the bottom, sealing the baby Moses safely into a water-tight vessel. This is the first Bible Cartoon I have completed in 2014. Miriam (Moses’ older sister) watching from further downstream on the river bank, who in turn is being watched by a Great Egret even further downstream! Moses (in woven reed basket) with his mother crying as she puts the lid on the little reed boat. The sun is high in the sky & to the left. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 1 Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son.

Picture of a papyrus basket