An Oregon woman says 86 members of her family have been disenrolled from an American Indian tribe that operates the state’s largest tribal casino, as leaders review the tribe’s rolls and enforce new membership requirements.
Read: DISENROLLMENT MATTERS, WHY YOU should care
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Family spokeswoman Mia Prickett said she’s shocked about being stripped of membership from the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, since one of the family’s ancestors was a chief who signed an 1855 treaty that helped establish the tribe.
Family spokeswoman Mia Prickett said she’s shocked about being stripped of membership from the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, since one of the family’s ancestors was a chief who signed an 1855 treaty that helped establish the tribe.
#The council that governs the 5,000-member tribe had been considering disenrolling the family for nearly a year, saying they no longer satisfy enrollment rules. The decision to remove the family was made after the council earlier this month changed the enrollment ordinance via “emergency amendments.” The amendments gave the authority to make decisions on disenrollment to an enrollment committee.
#Grand Ronde’s Stacia Martin, executive coordinator for the Tribal Council, declined to confirm the number of people removed or the exact reasons, citing the “confidential nature” of enrollment proceedings.
#Those removed lose health care and housing benefits, educational assistance and about $3,000 annually in casino profits, among other benefits.
#\The contentious removal is part of what some experts have dubbed the “disenrollment epidemic” —€” a rising number of dramatic clashes over tribal belonging in the U.S.
These tribal expulsions, which started in the 1990s along with the establishment of Indian casinos, increased in numbers just as gambling revenues skyrocketed. Critics say the disenrollments are also used as a way to settle political infighting and old family and personal feuds. Most tribes base their membership criteria on blood quantum or on descent from someone named on a tribe’s census rolls or treaty records.
Grand Ronde officials previously said the tribe’s membership pushed for an enrollment audit, with the goal of strengthening the tribe’s “family tree.” They did not say how many people were tabbed for disenrollment. Prickett says her ancestor chief Tumulth was unjustly accused of participating in a revolt and was executed by the U.S. Army, and hence didn’t make it onto the tribe’s roll, which is now a membership requirement.
#“This is morally and ethically reprehensible,” Prickett said of the disenrollment.
#The family can appeal the decision to the Tribal Court and the Tribal Court of Appeals.
It is not surprising that yet another tribe is thinning its membership roll's. Before the almighty Casino tribes welcomed members without too much fuss about lineal decendency. As long as a person could show an unbroken line, and if you were related to a known member from the 1800s then you were almost royalty. Then came gaming and the cockroaches came out of the woodwork. Them and their lawyers. Disenrollment is not an Indian tool. Rarely if ever a member was asked to leave the tribe, but the person did not lose their heritage, for how can you take away the blood of a person. I feel for our brothers and sisters and we Apis know your pain. We know your loss go way beyond the few dollars from your peoples interest. I still have a hope that one day there will be a collective awakening up of all Indigenous peoples regardless of tribal statues, and that we will come together and force our tribal governments to do what is best for the people and for the generations of people to come after us.
ReplyDeleteIt appears that the Casino has blinded many to the ways of community where the children of our children are the topic of conversation. Once the leaders of the people and of the spirit world did this in their councils and purification ceremonies. Stand against the evil that threatens your people, and know you are now one of many that suffer the process of extermination of a class of people. This has been the goal of the invaders from the very beginning, for our land, rivers, and lakes were seen as beautiful and coveted by those who came. That enemy knows their work of conquest is not done when there is still one functioning group who defies them through continuous occupation of the land. Money, power and greed have poisoned the people, just as alcohol did our ancestors. Your fight will not be easy and it is long, but the life of your people depend on the warriors to fight because of the truth.
The illegal termination of federally recognized Natives people seems to be about casino's and todays generation. But really these tribes are going back hundreds of years. They are removing your ancestors, my ancestors, OUR ancestors. We are all related.
ReplyDeleteBy terminating the dead you automatically terminate the living. They are going back to the first roles, the first census, the allottees. There is a reason these people were originally listed. Not because it was a "mistake " as modern tribes claim. But because they were the tribe, these ancestors stood up to make sure Natives had a place in the future. Now tribes seek to remove the first Natives of the land, of their people.
This is wrong on so many levels. The Indian way? Our ancestors would turn over in their graves if they knew the people would turn on one another for a few dollars.
What the hell is it going to take for the U.S.Government to stop this bullshit.
ReplyDeleteThe corruption is getting stronger and stronger because the evil Leaders are bankrolling the people to turn a blind eye to the corruption.
I think its time to step it up a notch or two, and take these bastards hostage until the Government agrees to step in and stop all of the abuse to the Indian people.
People like Mark Marcco and Robert Smith need to be dealt with one way or the other.
These two little men have caused to many heartaches to real Tribal Members, and should pay for their evil ways.
I agree with July 29,2014 @2:28am. I U.S government as should've been stepped in at the beginning. Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians need a light put on them too. No one is excluded. What Shingle Springs done to those that was disenrolled in the past months shouldnt have happened. Now they are destroyinot all paperror they ever existed stating that those people where tribe members, but the funny thing is they still using those members numbers to get a check.
ReplyDeleteWhere are all those who supported (voted for) Indian gaming? Come on forks get on the damn government officials to get off their ass and make this right. You had the power to make Indian gaming happen - you have the power to end this genocide being committed to against tribal members by their corrupt tribal leaders.
ReplyDeleteTake the Bastards Hostage. What can they do, we are soverign.
ReplyDelete