8/16/2025    Tomo-Kahni SHP

Guest Speaker Dr. David Earle

The Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park volunteers are pleased to announce a guest speaker event to be held Saturday August 16, 2025, starting at 11 am at the Friendship Hall of the Community Congregational Church located at 100 East E Street in Tehachapi, Ca. The speaker is Dr. David Earle who is an anthropologically trained ethnohistorian who specializes in the Indigenous history of southern California and the Peruvian Andes. He is widely considered our leading authority on the historical chronicles of the earliest Spanish and American explorers and occupants of the state and the implications of their early accounts for this period of Native American history.  A long-time resident of the Antelope Valley, much of David’s California work has emphasized the historical sources relevant to the Native American Tribes occupying the Mojave Desert and Tehachapi region specifically, making his research directly relevant to those interested in local tribal history.

There will be a reception with cake and beverages immediately following Dr. Earle’s discussion. Also available will be information on how to sign up for the upcoming fall tours at Tomo-Kahni SHP which can only be accessed by reserving a guided tour. This will also be a wonderful opportunity to find out more about Tomo-Kahni SHP and become a volunteer for the park.

Tomo-Kahni or “Winter Home” is the historic site of a Kawaiisu/Nuwa village. Nestled atop a ridge in the Tehachapi Mountains overlooking Sand Canyon to the east and the Tehachapi valley to the west, the site was likely chosen by the Kawaiisu for its moderate temperatures and plentiful resources.