A federal judge appears close to ruling on a local Indian tribe’s efforts to seek federal recognition, with potential future implications for Napa Valley land use.
The Mishewal Wappo Tribe of Alexander Valley sued the U.S. Department of Interior to have its tribal recognition restored. Napa County officials fear such status might someday give the tribe the ability to build a casino locally, should it choose to pursue this course.
Both sides filed motions for summary judgment in their favor. U.S. District Court Judge Edward J. Davila took the Mishewal Wappo case under submission in July 2013, beginning the wait for a decision.
In a recently filed document, Davila said he will issue an order addressing the motions by roughly March 31.
6 comments:
One question, how valuble is the land they are seeking to place in trust?
Their rancheria land is in Sonoma County in the Alexander Valley near Healdsburg. It is now wine country, and there is little chance of them getting any of that since the tribe was terminated. They say they will take government surplus land. I wish them luck.
Maybe the bad actors are squatters on the reservation? Maybe they should accept "ALL" members who were recognized before ICRA and Casino $$$$ Even the members without trust property.
True
At Pechanga you don't have to show ties to Pechanga reservation and allottee to be a member. ALL members can be members even if your not from Pechanga or Temecula. As long as you don't ask questions of the Bad Actors, your a member.
from what I can tell there are no squatters, and no bad actors. These are just some Indians who want some land, to be organized as a tribe, and to restore their culture, heritage, and rights. Their tribe was terminated in 1959 by the California Rancheria Termination Act. Their land was sold by a non-Indian tribal member who took 2/3rds of the proceeds instead of sharing them with the other members. Just another one of the many stories of injustice in Indian Country.
The big part of the story is that they are in California Wine Country, which is a big contributor to the state economy. The vineyard owners believe the only reason the Wappo want federal recognition is so that they can build a casino. These wealthy vineyard owners don't want the traffic and environmental impact that a busy casino would bring into their pastoral community.
Now we have to ask why a federal judge is making the ruling instead of the Office of Federal Acknowledgment. My guess is that the BIA told the Wappo they were terminated and didn't fulfill the requirements of 25 C.F.R. 83.7, so they went to court to compel the BIA to recognize them.
The BIA is really good at work avoidance. The last thing they want is more Indians to work for.
they might live in madera county,and they may claim PRCI as their home. And they may have a P.O. box at postal annex, are they really "CHUK INDIAN" because a true Chuk Indian would never, ever turn his back a real Chuk Indian would not steal from their tribe, a real Chuk Indian would not disrespect Elders, a real LEADER would not go against Customs & Traditions of the real Indian People of the tribe, real leaders would fight to save the Tribe, not rip it apart and destroy what our ancestors died for, and last the council, have raped their people and that Eric Holder doesn't give a fuck. Well it looks like we have a corrupt leaders in PRCI, and worse of all,it seems that the Chuk People don't give a FUCK, I know this first hand because i live in maders county, and i do give a fuck that reggie, chance, morris, dora, nancy, jennifer & nokonis are doing what they want and hurting our Tribe
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