Last year, Indian Country recognized the anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. A significant turning point in Native American history, the decision was a successful end of the fight to create economic opportunity on the reservations of two California tribes, the Cabazon and Morongo Bands of Mission Indians.
The decision in Cabazon represents a significant milestone for Indian Country as a whole and is critical to the achievements we see today. It reaffirmed what tribes had always known, that our sovereign right to govern our own affairs is written in the U.S. Constitution and is sacrosanct. The decision gave tribes hope that after two centuries of government policies to terminate tribal governments and tribal lands, our right to self-determination had endured. It also lit the fuse for a brand-new wave of economic development for Indian nations.
Unfortunately, this decision spurred California and other states to turn to Congress in order to limit Indian Country’s hard fought victory. At the insistence of several states, Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) in 1988. While the law has become synonymous with solidifying and protecting tribes’ future in gaming, there is no doubt that IGRA is a diminishment of tribal sovereignty. Many of our elders and leaders of the era who fought hard for tribal sovereignty have shared their disappointment of IGRA and that diminishment. However, we have fought hard to achieve success within the confines of IGRA and we continue to fight to maintain our rights. This hard work has contributed to the expansion of our economic base and put us on a path toward tribal self-sufficiency.
Twenty years following the passage of IGRA, we still see disputes and controversies between states and tribes. However, one thing is certain: Since the passage of IGRA, Indian gaming has generated much-needed revenue to help revitalize tribal economies throughout the country. On a national level, the revenue that tribes generate within the gaming industry brings benefits to communities nationwide. And just 20 years after this significant turning point, Indian gaming continues to help restore Indian communities, create job opportunities, provide substantial financial opportunities, and allow tribes to become less dependent on the federal government for essential services. As a result, tribes have also extended their fortune by investing in businesses and partnerships with other tribes and have given abundantly to help charitable causes for Indians and non-Indians alike.
This month, the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University is bringing together an impressive gathering of tribal, U.S. government and business leaders for a national conference and symposium titled “Indian Country’s Winning Hand: 20 Years of IGRA.” The conference is a comprehensive 20-year retrospective of the successes, failures and impact of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988.
This commemorative conference will examine the history and impact of IGRA. We will explore the gaming industry through the eyes of tribal leaders, scholars and those who helped IGRA became law. More than 50 lecturers, panelists and moderators from across the nation will share their perspectives on this profound milestone in Indian Country.
I am honored to be among six individuals who will recognized for our work to protect and expand Indian gaming rights. The honorees, named “Pathbreakers” for their leadership in helping forge tribal economic freedom, will be recognized at a special banquet during the conference.
I would like to take this opportunity to tell you more about my fellow Pathbreakers. I am truly honored and humbled to be included in this group of outstanding and highly deserving leaders. I consider these men my friends. Some have mentored me as I came up through this industry. Others have offered unwavering support over the years. And all have been absolutely essential to me and the work I do on behalf of the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA).
Frank L. Chaves is the former chairman of the New Mexico Indian Gaming Commission and has worked on gaming issues with tribal governments in New Mexico for more than 12 years. A member of the Pueblo of Sandia, he served as the director of economic development for the Pueblo. Because of his leadership and advocacy on behalf of economic prosperity represent New Mexico tribes, all of Indian Country has continued to reap great success.
Richard G. Hill Sr., who recently returned to the helm as chairman of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, is a fellow tribal member and served as my predecessor at NIGA. For nearly 20 years, the Hill name has been synonymous with Indian gaming and tribal economic development. He has spent the better art of his adult life dedicated to the betterment and progress of the Oneida Nation and Indian Country. As a former chairman and spokesman for NIGA, he led a national negotiating team in the 1990s to resolve conflicts over Indian gaming between the states and tribal leaders, achieving significant milestones on our behalf in tribal self-determination and true economic gains.
John A. James currently serves as the chairman of the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. I consider James a close personal friend who I admire and have great respect for; this tribal elder continues to serve as a personal mentor. He has been at the forefront of Indian gaming in California for several decades, from bringing high-stakes bingo to the Cabazon in the 1980s to developing a premiere gaming destination in Southern California. He is also chairman of the Cabazon’s Business Committee and a former executive secretary of NIGA.
Mark Macarro is the chairman of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. A true advocate for Indian gaming, he is no stranger to fighting for the rights of California tribes on gaming issues. With the support of the California Nations Gaming Association, Macarro served as spokesman for successful high-profile Indian gaming ballot initiatives in California, which has ultimately led to an Indian gaming industry in California that continues to thrive and leads the nation in Indian gaming casino revenues. Macarro represents the Pechanga Band in the National Congress of American Indians and is on the executive board of directors of NIGA. He was recently re-elected to serve another term at Pechanga.
Dr. Clinton M. Pattea, who recently returned to serve as president of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, is another of my mentors and I am humbled to be honored with him. The success of Indian Gaming in Arizona and Indian Country as a whole is often attributed to the visionary leadership of Pattea. With four decades of service on the nation’s tribal council, he knows that his strength in leadership comes from the people he serves. Along with his tribal membership, he fought against the state of Arizona, which led to negotiations in the 1990s with then-Gov. Fife Symington, who had refused to discuss a compact with the tribes in Arizona. His leadership inspired NIGA to produce a documentary in 2006. A Defining Moment told the plight of Fort McDowell and thier standoff, protecting sovereignty on behalf of Indian Country.
Although there have been a number of Pathbreakers in Indian gaming—far too many to count—these individuals have been standing strong for Indian gaming since the beginning. They were selected by their peers on a committee comprised of leaders of major Indian gaming organizations and programs; each has been in the forefront of efforts to restore tribal self-sufficiency and respect for tribal sovereignty.
These individuals are Indian Country’s modern-day warriors, and they have fought important battles to the benefit of Indian Country. They did so selflessly and with powerful determination to see Indian gaming succeed. I congratulate my fellow Pathbreakers and thank them for their contributions to Indian gaming.
I also want to thank the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law for hosting and sponsoring this important event. It is the only fully accredited law school in the Phoenix area and boasts an Indian Legal Program that is arguably the best in the nation. I hope the conference inspires the younger generation of warriors to lead us through the next 20 years.
Ernie Stevens Jr. is the Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association and a member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin. He can be reached at (202) 546-7711.
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