Tribal Gaming: Culture Rising Amidst Policy and Politics

Moving from Tribal Casino Culture to Policy and Political Issues

Nancy Van Leuven, Ph.D.University of Washington, American Indian Studies 230

October 16, 2013

Continuing, TodayIndians as savage, noble, “Other”

Worldview: European superiority

Worldview: Indians as Obstacles to Progress

Today: Thanksgiving? ‘Free Birds’ Tells Wrong Story, Inaccurately

Casinos GREEDY Indians

Casinos LAZY Indians

(What’s an Indian?)

Since Congress’ law in 1988 for tribal casinos:

180 unrecognized tribes Loose-knit groups of people with Indian

ancestry And others petitioned to be American

Indian nations.

Including Mr. Roberts who formed the Western Mohegan Tribe and Nation, and

“Chief Bear Who Walks Softly” (Mr. Fry) of the Sovereign Cherokee Nation Tejas (created by an act of God)

Today’s Infographic: The Trouble with the Washington Redsk*ns

Some things that don’t really matter about the name:

• Liberal whining• Sticks and stones• Racism• Hurt feelings• Money and greed

Then why’s the name such a big freaking deal?

OWNERSHIP OF IDENTITY

1. Most people simply don’t know or encounter many, if any Indians.

“When’s the last time you saw TWO Indians?” –Chris Rock

2. So, many get their idea from media, such as:

Mediated identity by non-Indians

DON’T ALL INDIANS LOOK LIKE 19TH CENTURY PLAINS WARRIORS?

Everyone who doesn’t look that way, isn’t an NDN.

WE UNDERSTAND

Simple-minded warrior-

savages

We cannot define

ourselves

Contribute to the notion

that we have vanished…

That you don’t intend the name to be offensive.

That you don’t mean any harm.

That you may even think you are honoring us.

BUT REALIZE THE REAL DAMAGE.

FUN FACT: Some Maryland lawmakers attempted to block state recognition of the Piscataway tribe on the basis that some “don’t look like” Indians. Unrecognized Indians are not considered Indian in the eyes of the law. Weird, eh?

Oneida Nation (and others) vs.

Dan Snyder (and 85% of fans)

From Washington Post:

Will Redskins be forced to change name within 5 years?

From Indian Country Today, largest AI publication: • 81% of respondents

find “redskin” disparaging;

• 75% believe imagery violates anti-discrimination laws.

TODAY

“Redskins is a racist word from our racist past.”

How have your thoughts changed as a result of this project?

Final thoughts: What have we learned?

And now…Remembering our five research areas

From the Sycuan Institute On Tribal Gaming research center at SDSU:

• Tribal Culture – DRAFTED THIS WEEK, polish for final paper due Wednesday, Dec. 4.

• Policy and Political Issues: State/federal intervention, caps, issues of sovereignty, guidelines regarding use of revenues, mandates about gambling, etc.

• Regulatory, legal issues: Licensing, compacts, rights of tribes against states (and vice versa) taxation, accounting, etc.

• Economic Development and Economic Factors in Surrounding Community

(“The common thread in economic growth for Indian tribes is their successful assertion of their rights to govern themselves.”)

Winning the Sovereignty Jackpot: The 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and the Struggle for

Sovereignty

From today’s assigned readings

Historically since WWII:

• Political, economic, cultural incorporation built

sovereignty;

• 1970’s saw turn from Termination toward self-

determination;

• IGRA changed the political landscape of tribal-state

relations: FL and CA offered bingo with larger prizes than allowed

by state law

Every tribe has a legal story: Oneida Tribe v. State of Wisconsin ; Seminole Tribe v. Butterworth; WA Puyallup tribe in U.S. v. Farris; Barona Group v. Duff in CA; etc.

SOVEREIGNTY:Legal rationale for tribal casinos

Shifts historical concepts of:▪ Autonomy▪ Nationality▪ Self-determination

Fuels controversy re: ▪ Cultural representation▪ Profit distribution ▪ Treaty-based sovereignty

Traditional and Modern Perspectives on

Indian Gaming: The Struggle for Sovereignty

From today’s assigned readings: Ideas to include in your papers

• Depresses local economies, accelerates assimilation, debates on

“progress” and “goals”

• Contrast Pequots (revitalization via profits) vs. Iroquois (voted

down gaming)

• Investigate: Internal divisions at odds due to U.S. systems of

domination

Per-Capita and program distributions

How do laws affect “previously highly stressed social systems that managed to survive centuries of genocide, cultural domination,

and coercive assimilation” (Fenelon)

How it breaks down: Questions?Teams: AZ/NM, Biggest, CA, FL, Gulf Coast, Non-Tribal, Oregon, WA, Wisconsin

Policy and Political Issues: State interventionFederal intervention Issues of sovereignty Guidelines regarding use of revenues Mandates about gambling

Regulatory, legal issues: Licensing Compacts Rights of tribes against states (and vice versa)Taxation and accounting (including per capita payments)