The bad news keeps coming for lifelong members of Chukchansi. The BIA watches as the tribe burns. The government plays the fiddle while the destruction of CA tribes happens on their watch
Our friend Carmen George of the Sierra Star News has the latest tragic news. If you would like to voice your displeasure with Reggie Lewis you can do it at: rlewis@tcouncil.com
For one family, descendants of the last Chukchansi chief, Chief Hawa and his daughter Princess Melliot, being Chukchansi has always been a way of life.
Since 1892, heirs of Chief Hawa -- who the family refers to as "Grandpa Mukchaw" -- have lived and raised their children on the family's 1,000-plus acre ranch in Ahwahnee beside the Fresno River, living off the land and raising cattle.
"In my family, from the day I was born, my dad told me I was Chukchansi," said Chris Ballew, 70, wife of the late Larry Ballew, well-known in the mountains for his work in conservation. "We were always proud to be Indian, even when it wasn't a fad to be Chukchansi."
Ballew's river house, an oasis tucked into a quiet valley, shelters dream catchers and wind chimes, healing crystals, carved walking sticks tucked into corners, and rawhide drums scattered here and there.
While she's spent a lifetime living in a native way, she, her daughter Ricginda Dryer, and her grandson Luke Dryer, received letters last week stating they are now disenrolled as members of the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians.
The letters are signed by chairman Reggie Lewis, voted out by the tribe in a Dec. 3 tribal council election but still seated on council at the rancheria, and secretary Jennifer Stanley. jstanley@tcouncil.com
A disenrollment means tribal members lose monthly stipends, currently about $380 a month from the rancheria's multi-million dollar casino revenues, and benefits for things like housing, education, medical, and elder and child services. Perhaps the most devastating, however, is what it can take from a family and culture, Ricginda said.
Her son Gabriel was disenrolled in 2007 when he was 13 because he was born a few years too late to be enrolled. He locked himself in his room for four days and cried and cried, she said.
BOYCOTT CHUKCHANSI GOLD CASINO
6 comments:
End tribal terrorism
muc-cha is my grandfather as well...
42 of the 71 muc-cha (hawa) descendants registered at picayune and considered "petitioners" were disenrolled along with over 500 others in 2006...the remainder of these hawa "petitioner" descendants were dismembered in the past two weeks...
ironically, harold hammond who has now been disallowed a seat on the council and patrick hammond, who was the enrollment chair at picayune during the 2006 disenrollment, are also of hawa lineage and both participated in the disenrollment of those--AND over 500 other CHUKCHANSI people--during the 2006 disenrollments along with dora jones,morris reid and dixie jackson of the "new" council at picayune...
also ironically, chance (and joe) alberta ARE of hawa lineage as well, and chance is a force along with reggie lewis (relation joyce burrel), jennifer stanley (dustin grahams sister),and nancy ayala (wyatt descendant) in the disenrollments occurring today by the "old"council--
the blood, land, and history shared by these people mean nothing as all are willing to commit genocide against their own people until it comes down to their immediate families...
picayune is no longer a tribe, as a tribe exists for the good and survival of ALL of it's people...picayune is no more than a corporation--a CORRUPT corporation--and only TRIBES are allowed to profit from indian gaming...
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD CLOSE CHUKCHANSI GOLD RESORT AND CASINO, AND PICAYUNE RANCHERIA OF THE CHUKCHANSI INDIANS SHOULD LOSE THEIR FEDERAL RECOGNITION--they are a tribe no more...
if not, the tribal government MUST either be held accountable and punished for federal fraud and embezzlement for enrolling over 1000 "unqualified" chukchansi and receiving millions of dollars in grants for them over a 15 year period...
OR
the picayune tribal government MUST be made to bring ALL the chukchansi people home--INCLUDING the 200 CHUKCHANSI leidkes and supporters disenrolled in 2000, INCLUDING the 500-600 CHUKCHANSI disenrolled in 2006, and INCLUDING the 100-200 CHUKCHANSI disenrolled in recent months between october and february of this year...
PICAYUNE'S "LEGAL COUNSEL" SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE--AND PUNISHED--AS WELL...the story WILL be told...
I thought "Lewis" lost the "Election?" So he didn't like the "Outcome," so he isn't going to "Honor It?" How is that "Possible?" You "Lose You, you Leave," how hard is that? For this could only in "Indian Country"
Sovereignty means you don't have to follow the rules. The BIA is sitting on the sidelines. They say that the tribe can work it out...
It's a clear example of the Chukchansi leadership not following their own laws.
The BIA has a duty to protect Native Americans. They can do that by requesting Congress to hold a hearing on ICRA and to severely limit the tribe from gaming. Maybe a suspension of their business while a hearing is scheduled.
What a surprise, the BIA not doing their job.
Ever notice, the BIA *always* sides with whoever has the power?
Headline reads "Tribal Council disenrolls members, and for some reason the BIA doesn't do anything"
It's because the BIA agents are taking bribes!
Wake up and smell the corruption!
Look up the BIA agents in your area on the internet! Look for their fake businesses that they use to launder their kickback money, and then report these fake businesses to the FBI.
Money laundering is a federal offense and the FBI will get involved if you can show how they are laundering their money.
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