BIG PINE PAIUTE TRIBE OF THE OWENS VALLEY
The Big Pine Paiute Tribe is federally recognized and located on the Big Pine Indian Reservation in Big Pine, California.
Our ancestors lived in harmony with all organisms through a lifestyle based on traditional subsistence. Our ancestors gathered resources from the earth in a varying schedule which relied on seasons and locations. In the fall, the most important food item for our ancestors was pine nuts. Pine nuts were gathered in the mountains and sometimes if the crop was plentiful, they would stay in the groves throughout the winter. In spring, the valley floor would create an abundance of plant resources including seeds, berries, and roots vital to the health of our people. All the resources our ancestors needed for a subsistence lifestyle relied on one variable which was unpredictable water.
Big Pine Tribal Council
An elected five-member Tribal Council oversees a staff of approximately 30 employees, and the tribal office staff is responsible for carrying out tribal business, managing finances, providing education tools, utilities, housing, and social services, preserving cultural heritage, and protecting our ancestral lands.
Regular Tribal Council meetings are open to the public and are held on the 1st Wednesday and 3rd Thursday of every month unless otherwise stated. Please submit agenda requests 10 days prior to the meeting date. Changes to regularly scheduled meetings will be announced as soon as possible. Regular General Council meetings are closed to the public and are open to enrolled Tribal Members only. General Council meetings are held quarterly. Non-tribal members may be invited to a GC at the discretion of the Tribal Council. Please submit agenda requests 10 days prior to the meeting date. All agenda requests are subject to approval by the Tribal Council.
