In California, Indian Tribes With Casino Money Cast Off Members

Native American Genocide-Chukchansi Disenrollment- Tribal Wars 2012

The Picayune Rancheria recently stopped providing many benefits to the tribe's existing "petitioners" -- tribal members of Chukchansi descent that are not direct descendents of a Chukchansi given allotment land by the U.S. government in 1887. About 60 petitioners are thought to remain, one member said. Membership with the tribe is on shaky ground for the majority of the tribe, many Chukchansi say, because membership is no longer just about being a direct lineal descendant, and criteria in the Chukchansi constitution is interpreted differently by each new tribal council.

www.tribalcorruption.com/Disenrollment/PicayuneRancheria.htm

A point of concern in the constitution: "All persons of Chukchansi Indian blood who have a special relationship with the tribe not shared by Indians in general."

Those concerned say the statement is too loosely defined, and that criteria for meeting the "special relationship" requirement is too ambiguous.