{{Short description|Native American tribe in California}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox ethnic group | group = Tejon Indian Tribe | population = 734 enrolled members<ref name=nnn/> | popplace = United States (California) | rels = Indigenous religion, Christianity | langs = English | related = other Chumash, Kitanemuk, and Yokuts people<ref name=baker/> }}
The '''Tejon Indian Tribe''' is a federally recognized tribe<ref>{{cite journal |title=Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs |journal=Federal Register |date=12 January 2023 |volume=88 |pages=2112–16 |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/01/12/2023-00504/indian-entities-recognized-by-and-eligible-to-receive-services-from-the-united-states-bureau-of |access-date=2 November 2023}}</ref> of Kitanemuk, Yokuts, Paiute and Chumash Indigenous people of California.
Their ancestral homeland is the southern San Joaquin Valley, San Emigdio Mountains, and Tehachapi Mountains. Today they live in Kern County, California.<ref name=baker>{{cite news |author=Edelhart, Courtenay. |title=Tejon tribe fought for recognition throughout history |url=http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1498655196/Tejon-tribe-fought-for-recognition-throughout-history |newspaper=The Bakersfield Californian. |date=5 March 2012 |accessdate=23 April 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103213347/http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1498655196/Tejon-tribe-fought-for-recognition-throughout-history |archivedate=3 November 2013}} [https://www.bakersfield.com/archives/tejon-tribe-fought-for-recognition-throughout-history/article_079af56f-6d8b-5ce7-bb3f-2b8169a101c6.html Alt URL]</ref>
==Government== The tribe's headquarters are located in Bakersfield, California.<ref name=nnn/> They are governed by a democratically–elected tribal council. {{As of|2016}} their tribal chairperson is Octavio Escobedo III<ref name="nnn">{{cite web |title=Tejon Indian Tribe Gains Federal Reaffirmation |url=http://www.nativenewsnetwork.com/tejon-indian-tribe-gains-federal-reaffirmation.html |website=Native News Network |accessdate=23 April 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103034413/http://www.nativenewsnetwork.com/tejon-indian-tribe-gains-federal-reaffirmation.html |archivedate=3 November 2013 |date=4 Jan 2011}}</ref> and their vice-chairwoman is June Nachor.<ref name=baker/>
==History == The Sebastian Indian Reservation (1853–1864) was established in 1853 by Edward F. Beale on Rancho El Tejon lands, that became part of the Tejon Ranch. It was the first Indian reservation in California. At its establishment it was {{convert|763,000| acres}} but was reduced to {{convert|25,000| acres}}. Two thousand Indians lived on the land. In 1863 Beale purchased Rancho El Tejon for his private use. One hundred Indians stayed on his lands when the reservation was dissolved. Many Indians were forcibly relocated at gunpoint to the new Tule River Reservation, which was established near Porterville in Tulare County.<ref name=baker/>
Financially backed by Cannery Casino Resorts,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Morain |first1=Dan |title=Obama goes to bat for state's gambling tribes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/643962552 |access-date=28 April 2025 |work=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Sacramento Bee |date=January 5, 2012 |page=A13 |language=en |quote=Wortman is founder of Cannery Casino Resorts, which owns several casinos in Nevada, and helped bankroll Tejon's seven-year battle to regain status.}}</ref> the tribe received approval to acquire {{convert|320| acres}} of land in Mettler from the Department of the Interior along with the department's approval of the compact between the tribe and California that will govern class three gaming on the land.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kaplan |first=David |date=2022-11-18 |title=Tejon Indian tribe gets approval for land, one step closer to building casino |url=https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/tejon-indian-tribe-gets-approval-for-land-one-step-closer-to-building-casino |access-date=2022-11-19 |work=KBAK |language=en}}</ref>
==Notes== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== * [https://www.tejonindiantribe.com/ Tejon Indian Tribe], official website
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tejon Indian Tribe}} Category:Federally recognized tribes in the United States Category:Native American tribes in California Category:Chumash Category:Yokuts Category:Kern County, California Category:San Emigdio Mountains Category:San Joaquin Valley Category:Tehachapi Mountains Category:Mountain Communities of the Tejon Pass Category:Tejon Indian Tribe