Deergrass and Basket Weaving at Agua Hedionda

On Saturday I was driving past the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center, and saw a rather large crowd out back. What I discovered was that Native American Artist Lydia Vassar was there teaching folks how to weave deergrass into baskets.

Vassar is from the San Luis Rey Band of Missions Indians from Oceanside and says that the best source of non-chemically treated deer grass is in Carlsbad. When the Discovery Center invited her down to harvest the grass from their organic garden and teach how it's used in traditional basket weaving, she could't resist. "Usually, it's really difficult to find a good safe place to gather materials because everything has been poisoned with either fertilizer or runoff," she says.

Pat Hansen, who incidentally, was Carlsbad's Citizen of the Year in 2008, was there to learn more about this Native American art form. "We harvested, we had story time and now we're doing art. It's great." Hansen went on to reiterate that the Discovery Center is very important to Carlsbad because it encompasses the history of the area and the importance of the lagoons. "What's more," adds Carlsbad resident Bill Richmond, "I think basket weaving and using natural materials helps us feel closer to what might have existed here in pre-Columbian times." 

Vassar's Carlsbad demonstration had over 40 participants. She commended Carlsbad residents for attending and compared  to a recent and similar talk at San Diego State University where "only 15 people showed up." "It's very encouraging when residents come out and show an interest in our native plants and native culture," she went on to say.

Because of Saturday's success, Vassar hopes and expects that this was the first of what will be an annual event at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center.

To learn more about Luiseno Artist Lydia Vassar, and to see photos of her work visit: waterturtleweaver.com.

To find out more about Carlsbad's 400-acre Agua Hedionda Lagoon and it's Discovery Center go to aguahedionda.org.