Contributions by Fred
Shinnecock Pow-Wow
Image by Joe Shlabotnik At the annual Pow-Wow on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation.
Leaders of the Shinnecock Indian Nation joined with members and other locals Wednesday to attend a court hearing in Central Islip as they fight a last minute attempt to derail their long-awaited recognition.
A group opposing federal recognition for the Shinnecock Indian Nation had filed a last-minute, nearly 500-page protest, seeking to block the tribe from obtaining federal recognition.
The Coalition for Gaming Jobs, which described itself as a non-profit and so far hasn’t revealed its members or supporters, filed the protest with the United States Department of the Interior’s Board of Indian Appeals, a move that could delay and possibly defeat the tribe’s efforts.
The Mashantucket Pequot, which owns Foxwoods, and the Mohegan tribe, which owns the Mohegan Sun, have denied they’re behind the group. It wasn’t clear who was attempting to stop the Shinnecock from recognition.
“Normally you challenge the findings of the department,” said Tom Shields, a spokesman for Gateway Casino Resorts, partnering with the tribe. “I don’t see anything where they do that.”
The nation was to celebrate its first day as a federally recognized tribe on Monday and one leader said a sense of sadness had been replaced by one of resolve. “We’ll continue to fight,” said senior trustee Lance Gumbs.
Chairman Randy King said he called on the entire tribal membership to attend the court hearing Wednesday “to celebrate our heritage.”
Two Shinnecock members created a Facebook page to announce the formation of the New York Coalition for Shinnecock Gaming, which is calling for a boycott of Connecticut casinos.
The group says the Connecticut Coalition for Gaming Jobs was intentionally designed primarily to delay the process of federal recognition for the Shinnecock Nation. Shinnecock is depending on federal recognition for many reasons, including the right to open a casino.
Federal recognition is important for the nation
Being a federally recognized tribe indicates that you have a special and unique relationship with the government of United States of America. Under this relationship. the government agrees to provide things like scholarship resources, funds for health care, loan guarantees that allow Indians to take out mortgages on reservation land, funding for a tribal court and tribal law enforcement, amongst other things.
The group also makes the case that a Shinnecock gaming casino will bring in tens of millions of dollars a year to benefit New York State and provide jobs for the nations members as well as other members of the community.
Shinnecock leaders hopeful something will be done
In Central Islip Wednesday, tribal attorneys and members will appear before U.S. District Court Judge Joseph F. Bianco to update the court on the tribe’s recognition status. Bianco last year advanced the tribe’s cause by approving an agreement between the tribe and the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs to act on the Shinnecocks’ 32-year-old application for recognition by last December.
The BIA’s office of acknowledgment handed down a final determination approving it last month.
Mark Tilden, an attorney for the tribe at Tilden McCoy in Boulder, Colo., said he hoped that more may come of Wednesday’s hearing. “We would hope the judge would take notice of the actions against the tribe and would consider doing something about it,” Tilden said.
It is not clear if Bianco can dispense with the objections.
For the Shinnecock’s however this is more than just a fight, it is a recognition and a chance for a bright new future. This isn’t simply a legal fight and they can not wait another week, month, year or decade for federal recognition. For many the time is now.
Stay tuned to Moriches Daily as we follow the story.
Sources:
http://libn.com/blog/2010/07/16/group-tries-to-block-shinnecock-recognition/
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/shinnecock-leaders-call-on-members-to-attend-hearing-1.2122316
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[...] to celebrate its first day as a federally recognized tribe Monday, July 19, but two parties posed a last minute block. The Connecticut Coalition for Gaming Jobs and members of the Montaukett Tribe both filed [...]