Which Indigenous California groups had more centralized political organization?

Most Indigenous groups in California traditionally avoided centralized governmental structures at the tribal level, preferring to organize themselves into independent geopolitical units known as tribelets. These tribelets typically consisted of a few hundred to a few thousand people who recognized cultural connections to other groups but maintained their own political independence.21

However, there were exceptions to this pattern. The Colorado River peoples, specifically the Mojave and the Quechan, are noted for having more centralized political organization. Additionally, some Chumash groups are also identified as having potentially more centralized structures compared to the broader regional norm.2