Tubatulabal Tribe (teh-bat-too-la-bal)

The Kern River Valley has been the home of three (3) distinct bands which are collectively named Tubatulabal. Our tribe has been in the Kern River Valley for 2500 to 4000 years (maybe longer).

The three (3) bands that comprise the Tubatulabal Indian Tribe are the:

palagewan (North Fork Kern River, Johnsondale, Fairview, Riverkern, Chico Flat, Chico Canyon, Bull Run, Cannell Meadow, Kernville, Keysville, Isabella, Miracle Hot Springs, to the mouth of the Kern River Canyon entrance.

pakanapul (South Fork Kern River, South Slope of Mount Whitney, Fish Creek, Black Rock, Rock House, Kennedy Meadows, Lamont Meadows, Owens Peak, Walker Pass, Canebrake, Onyx, Weldon, Nicolls Peak, Isabella.

Bankalachi "toloim" (Greenhorn Mountains, Poso Flat, Basket Pass, Basket Basin, Split Mountain, Black Mountain, North Deer Creek, North White River.

Of the Tubatulabal who have survived European contact, the majority are pakanapul people.

There are few known Bankalachi "toloim" and palagewan band members in the Tubatulabal Tribe.

However, many Bankalachi "toloim" and palagewan people most likely re-settled on the Tule River Indian Reservation, Porterville California Tulare County and blended in with the Yokuts people there.

Palagewan people have most likely assimilated with the pakanapul, as a result, the only spoken Tubatulabal language is of the pakanapul people.

The pakanapul speak the "paka' anil" dialect (note: no upper case in paka' anil dialect).

Today, the "paka' anil" dialect is being revitalized by the pakanapul language program, office located next door to the Tubatulabal Tribal Office.











However, many Bankalachi and palagewan people most likely re-settled on the Tule River Indian Reservation, Porterville, CA (Tulare County). and blended in with the Yokuts people there.


The Palagewan people who stayed in the North Fork Kern River area most likely assimilated with the pakanapul.
As a result, the only spoken Tubatulabal language is of the pakanapul people. The pakanapul speak the "paka' anil" dialect (note: no upper case in paka' anil dialect).
Today, the "paka' anil" dialect is being revitalized by the pakanapul language program.