Tribal Membership Controversy Motives Examined

Native American tribes, including the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, are in the midst of controversies over who are, and are not, members of the tribes. The controversies, it is reported, bring into question the motives of those who want to exclude some as members, and in some states, tribal casino gaming revenues are alleged to be behind the moves.

In Oklahoma, the Cherokee Nation has an upcoming vote that could remove more than a thousand of its present 260,000 members.

Nationwide, there are 561 federally-recognized tribes with 1.9 million members. The tribes own 406 gaming facilities, including about 240 casinos. Those casinos generated $22.6 billion in revenue in 2005. Oklahoma, with a growing list of tribal casinos, has the largest Native American population in the nation, with 675,021 the latest count from the U. S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.

USA Today reports this week that some tribal members are being kicked out without being given reasons why.

One such case involves Marilyn Vann of Oklahoma, who was refused tribal membership in 2001 but finally was admitted last March. She now fears expulsion because she is a member of the Cherokee Freedmen, descendants of former slaves owned by the Cherokees. "I've always considered myself a Cherokee Native American with African blood," she said. She believes her membership is in peril because of "racism."

In other cases across the country, gambling profits are sometimes the issue, it is alleged. Some tribes split such revenue with tribal members each month. The Cherokee Nation does not, but does provide services to tribal members.

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