Sovereignty no cause for silence
Friday, April 01, 2005 -
The enrollment controversy within the Mooretown Rancheria is becoming much too familiar among tribes nationwide.
The story this week out of Oroville is that Mooretown changed the status of 40 tribal members, making them ineligible for income from the tribe's Feather Falls Casino. They were declared non-lineal tribal members by the Tribal Council, meaning they were not direct descendants of three elders. That makes them ineligible for periodic payments from the tribal casino. One ousted member said her payment was $45,000 last year, so it's understandable she's upset.
The demoted members vow to appeal to the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs.
These stories are becoming commonplace as Indian gaming revenues become a significant source of income for tribes. The more money there is, the more people with Indian lineage will want a cut or, if you believe the ousted members in some cases, the more some tribal members will attempt to limit the number of people who get a cut.
In most cases, these are like family squabbles, resolved internally. Tribes are sovereign nations, governed according to self-established constitutions. They owe no court save the BIA an explanation. They offer non-Indians little explanation. The Mooretown Rancheria decision, for example, was explained to the local media and the nontribal public in a press release. Details were not discussed. It's not uncommon.
Like discussions of the enrollment status of members, the casinos themselves sometimes operate in much the same fashion. Some casinos statewide have earned ridicule for not paying attention to community concerns about their impacts. As sovereign nations, they felt justified in that course of action.
Slowly, though, the model is changing.
We caught a glimpse of it with Rolling Hills Casino near Corning. The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians sought input from nearby residents and made it clear they wanted to listen. For the most part, Tehama County government and nearby residents seem pleased with their neighbor.
The Mechoopda tribe of Chico Rancheria are taking cooperation to a whole new level. The tribe, which hopes to build a casino along Highway 149 to open in 2006 or 2007, has been open and forthright about its plans. It has sought meetings with county government leaders and city of Chico officials. It has pledged cooperation through a memorandum of understanding, which is a first in Butte County. It wants to build a casino that will benefit its more than 400 members, but won't be a detriment to the environment or the county.
The Mechoopda are working hard to ensure there are no surprises with their project, and their efforts to do so are a welcome change.
Link to Report
Thanks to Bea Woodward for passing this on!
April Reports
Last updated on April 01, 2005