GRIC Files Suit to Protect Bal Ance of Indian Gaming and Halt Glendale
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September 2010 www.gilariver.org/news Vol 13, No. 5 Serving all seven districts of the Gila River Indian Community GRIC files suit to protect bal Change Service Requested Sacaton, AZ 85147 Box 459 P.O. Indian News Gila River ance of Indian gaming and halt Glendale casino Submitted by Alia Maisonet, Public Information Officer SACATON, AZ –With the will of O’odham Nation, which purchased this Arizona’s voters and the balance of land seven years ago using a dummy Indian gaming at stake, the Gila River corporation, has stated its intention to Indian Community today filed suit in open a 1,000-slot-machine, million- federal court in Arizona seeking to square-foot casino resort on the site, stop a Southern Arizona tribal nation more than 100 miles from its tribal from opening a casino in a Glendale headquarters south of Tucson. neighborhood, just a mile from “Any conflict with a sister tribe is homes, schools and churches. something we take on reluctantly, but The lawsuit comes in response to the stakes are too high to remain a ruling by the U.S. Department of In- silent,” said Gila River Gov. William terior intending to take into trust 51 Rhodes. “The interim decision Interior STAN- PRESORTED Permit No. 25 U.S. Postage acres of land at 91st Avenue and North- made is another step in a legal battle Sacaton, AZ DARD ern, effectively creating a small Indian we intend to fight. Arizona tribes and PAID reservation within the corporate limits Arizona voters made a promise to keep of the City of Glendale and on aborig- casinos out of neighborhoods and to inal lands tracing back to the Gila make gaming work for the economic River Indian Community. The Tohono See Glendale on page 10 GRIN/Roberto A. Jackson Outgoing Miss Indian Ari- zona, Daryl Lynn Jay, honored before Council Miss Indian AZ 2009-2010, Daryl Lynn Jay with Lt. Gov. Joseph Manuel after she delivered her farewell address to Community Council on Sept. 15, 2010. She was presented with a plaque on behalf of the Community for her good- will and diplomatic work among Native communities in Ariz. and abroad. A brief reception was also held in her honor following the address. She will be passing on her crown in October at the next Miss Indian AZ pageant in Chandler. Safety evaluation revealed seri- ous danger to Community, Akimel O’Othham Smoke Shop Plans to Expand Komat Ke Market to be rebuilt By Jeri Thomas, GRIN Staff Plans for intertribal commerce are When complete, the project could clude seafood from tribes in the North- Submitted by in the works via the Akimel O’Othham easily employ 50 to 75. “There’s lodg- west and Alaska. Nelson said, “there’s Alia Maisonet, Public Information Officer Smoke Shop located at I-10 and Riggs ing, housekeepers and managers. To- a big native community in Phoenix. If, Road. According to Gary Nelson, who bacco is not the main emphasis,” say, they come here for a conference, Komat Ke, Gila River Indian Community- In September manages the Smoke Shop for Nelson said. they’ll know to stop here because we of 2009 a preliminary report identified structural concerns owner/proprietor, William R. Rhodes, Under Nelson’s supervision, ex- offer these native products.” with the Komat Ke Market in District 6. A safety evalua- D4, ‘there is huge economic develop- pansion plans have already begun. The The Native Pride flour doubles for tion and feasibility study later revealed that the roof had ment potential at Gila River.’ outdoor patio area was recently con- fry bread and tortilla dough. The pack- fell 6”, the walls would not be able to carry the load of a In an interview with Nelson, he verted to include what Nelson calls a age reads, “Just Add Water.” Nelson new roof and one of the under ground fiberglass fuel tanks said, “the goal is to develop a travel ‘native food café.’ Orders are placed at said “the fry bread is fluffy because was leaking. The determination to demolish and rebuild center with lodging, dining, fuel, and the window. Customers have the option there is no shortening in it.”- the market was the most cost efficient. laundry services—things travelers to sit at one of the outdoor tables or Future items on Nelson’s list in- On August 16, 2010 the market was demolished and need. And also serve the Community.” take it to go. clude caribou, moose, deer, or natural ground to rebuild the market was underway. According to Nelson, last year $1 The short menu includes typical range beef and lamb. “There’s lots of The “New” Komat Ke Market will provide 3,324.6 million dollars was provided to Gila native fare—fry bread and burros—but opportunity to provide retail. We could square feet of retail rental space, a four pump fueling sta- River Indian Community in the form of these menu items offer up homemade acquire other property to the south and tion featuring Chevron, 24-hour service, upgraded security tribal tax revenue. Nelson said the ex- with a twist. The flour and pinto beans maybe to the east. Landowners can po- system and a new “market” environment with a healthier pansion will provide jobs for a 60-room are products of the Navajo Agricultural tentially receive income.” selection of food. hotel, a national chain restaurant, and Products Industry out of Farmington, The Smoke Shop was established See Market on Page 4 an RV park. The process will take ap- New Mexico. See Expand on Page 8 proximately three years. Plans are to someday expand to in- Page 2 Gila River Indian News February 2009 September 2010 Gila River Indian News Page 3 Guest Editorial Broadband: A Key to Maintaining and Strengthen- ing Culture Within Our Native Communities Recently, I read that Lynda Lovejoy, candi- untarily left our reservations for economic maintain ties to the community, it must be date for Navajo Nation President, won a reasons. Good jobs, and the good schooling done through the most widely used medium landslide victory in that nation’s primary you need to get good jobs, are mostly located today, broadband communication. election. This is significant because she off reservations far from home where our Gila River Indian would be the first women elected to the po- language is not spoken, our ceremonies un- So are we properly channeling the internet News sition, ever. I did not come by this signifi- observed, and our cultural practices over- to provide opportunities to remain linked as cant news while reading the Navajo Times, shadowed by the unforgiving demands of the whole Indian communities, through good in- or listening to KTNN radio and it definitely dominant society. teractive community websites and commu- did not come from chatting around the water nity social networks? Where are the cooler at the local chapter house. Instead, it What we urban Indians, and our children, educational webinars for language classes, MIHIO MANUS came to me in the form of a friend’s “status have since become are practically strangers or basket weaving? Where are the informa- [email protected] GRIN Managing Editor update” while “facebooking” at home in in our own land. We are tourists on the tional podcasts of tribal council meetings (520)562-9718 western Washington State, more than a thou- weekend, pilgrims at Thanksgiving, or even and social song and dance? Does your tribe sand miles away from the heart of Navajo Santa Claus at Christmas who appear on the even have broadband internet capability? Is country. rez but only once a year, for a family gather- it affordable, reliable, convenient and of a JERI THOMAS ing, tribal fair, or funeral. There must be high capacity for the entire community to [email protected] Although the election of a female leader to whole generations of Indians who cannot utilize? If so, are our leaders forward think- GRIN Office Manager the highest post on the Navajo Nation is sig- speak their languages, do not know their ing enough and already working to get this (520)562-9717 nificant, what is remarkable to me is the fact clans, cannot tell a story, cannot sing a song, done? Are they going to step up and provide that via the web, I was still able to keep in and can only dance the Macarena. the funding to encourage, educate, train, and GINA GOODMAN touch with the political turmoil on this par- equip their youth to create, build and main- [email protected] ticularly remote Indian reservation. It is sig- So I sit at my portal to the information high- tain the digital infrastructure? Receptionist nificant to me that through social networking way and type in search words such as: “Gila (520)562-9715 websites such as Facebook, or MySpace, River Indian Community,” “Navajo,” In maintaining our culture we owe it to our friendships are developed, families connect, “Round Dance Songs,” “Pima Songs,” “Pow future generations to be innovative and and communities are formed for one cause Wow,” or even admittedly, “Women of the smart. It is smart to include all our citizens ROBERTO A. JACKSON or another. In this case, the cause was polit- Navajo Calendar,” to find some semblance wherever they may be. There is strength and [email protected] ical and Navajo candidates were able to of identity, some iota of culture, that I don’t diversity in numbers, and the more empow- Reporter reach some 130,000 off-reservation Navajos feel too homesick, or worst, less Indian.