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Media Myths |
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Misrepresentation #8
Myth: "Since only a federally recognized tribe can open a casino, scores of groups have flocked to the BIA or Congress seeking certification. Since 1979, as gambling has boomed, the number of recognized tribes on the U. S. mainland has spiked 23% to a total of 337. About 200 additional groups have petitioned the bureau for recognition." Reality: Indian gaming was not booming in 1979. 1979 was the year after the Department of Interior first issued regulations to Administratively recognize Tribes as governments. Thus, no petitions were possible prior to 1979, so the omission of this fact is not surprising. In 1994, Congress further formalized the recognition process by requiring that the BIA publish and regularly update an official list of federally recognized Tribes. Congress enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory act in 1988. Since 1988, the Interior Department has recognized only 11 groups as Tribes. Nine of these Tribes filed petitions for recognition with the Interior Department long before enactment of IGRA and long before Indian gaming was considered successful. Most Indian Tribes agree that the federal recognition process is broken, and needs additional funding and redirection. Our ancestors sacrificed their lives to ensure that Tribes retained the right to self-governance and the right to maintain our way of life. All Tribes have a vested interest in retaining the legitimacy in recognition process. |
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