Pechanga Descendant Cassie Whitten Speaks On FIGHTING for Her Heritage, DENIED by Pechanga's Mark Macarro

 So proud of our cousin Cassie Whitten, who has lived on the Pechanga Rez most of her life.  My family, the descendants of Paulina Hunter, and Original Pechanga Temecula person still live on the allotment granted by the 25th President of the United States William McKinley.

WATCH please and if you are on TIKTOK please follow her.

@cassie.payomkawichum

Reply to @tristt9 and including us in the tribe! ##tribaldisenrollment ##nativetiktok ##pechanga ##payómkawichum ##hunterclan

♬ original sound - Cassie Whitten

We get lots of questions incldding   WHY do you/How can you still live on the rez if you are disenrolled?   We'll address that soon.  

Former QUAPAW Tribal Chairman John Berrey Faces Disenrollment and BANNED from Running for Office

 Disenrollment is in the Quapaw Nation code, but it's unknown if this punishment has ever been used when citizens commit crimes.  Is it the right punishment?

John Berry
photo Quapaw Nation

Former Quapaw Tribal Chairman John Berrey has been barred from running from office by the Tribal Nation's Business Committee. The decision was made earlier this week after someone challenged his run for vice-chairman in the upcoming elections.

Berrey was the Quapaw Nation's chairman for 20 years until he lost last summer to newcomer Joseph Byrd. Then, a few months later, information from an audit alleged Berrey gave bonuses and pay raises totaling in the millions to himself and others without approval from the Business Committee.

Read more here

Silence on Tribal Disenrollment by Advocacy Groups NARF, NCAI, NIGA and Interior Dept FAVOR THE OPPRESSORS

Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim Silence encourages the tormentor never the tormented
Eile Wiesel

Interesting how quickly the NCAI came out against the decision by the Dept. of Interior on the Mashpee Wampanoag people. Days, yet for over a DECADE, they've been completely SILENT on the abuses, the oppreession, the torment BY TRIBES on the disenrollment issue in fact MISSING IN ACTION.  

NARF, NCAI and NIGA

Professor David Wilkins, who has written extensively on disenrollment, calls out Native American organizations that we've written about who've buried their heads in the sand to avoid the topic of Indians abused by their own tribes.


Open letter to the leaders of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Native American Rights Fund (NARF), and National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA):

Dear Native Leaders,

Each of your organizations, founded at critical moments in native history–NCAI in 1944, NARF in 1970, and NIGA in 1985– have and continue to play vital roles in the political, legal, and economic development of Native nations. I write you all now to request that you continue to remain vital and relevant by taking an unequivocal stand against spurious disenrollment practices that destroy the human and civil rights of individual native citizens and threaten the sovereign powers of all Native nations.

NCAI is the largest (over 250 member nations) and one of the oldest interest groups representing indigenous peoples. The organization was born during the turbulent period when the federal government was aggressively moving to politically and legally terminate over 100 tribal nations. NCAI fought against giving state governments’ greater jurisdiction over tribal peoples and their resources, and fought against relocation policies that compelled thousands of tribal citizens off their homelands and into major urban areas.

Cherokee Freedmen Advocate Marilyn Vann Falls Short in First Election Bid

 From the ELECTION COMMITTE of the Cherokee NATION:

According to the EC, the other At-Large candidates were Marilyn Vann with 543 votes (22.06%); 

A good first attempt by Marilyn Vann who got THOUSANDS of Freedmen their rightful place ion the tribe.  Curious that she cold only get 543 votes.   You'd think her number would be over 1,000.   Shame that once people are in the tribe, they couldn't be bothered to get out and vote?

BONES FOUND at Harry & Meghan's Montecito Home ARE NATIVE AMERICAN

 

The bones were discovered while work crews were digging a trench for a construction project, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office reports.

Tribal Disenrollment: Choosing MONEY Over MORALITY in Casino Indian Country The NEW "Indian Way"

For over 14 years, we've written on the explosion of tribal disenrollments in casino Indian Country.  Tribes sing the same chorus, learned at disenrollment seminars about "correcting the membership rolls" when in fact, it's about usurping power, stealing per capita shares of casino profits and settling old scores in family disputes.

THEFT of per capita via tribal disenrollment is NOW OVER ONE BILLION DOLLARS.  Yes, it's about the money for casino tribes.

CHOCTAW FREEDMEN to Get Consideration for Tribal Membership Constitutional Amendment Needed

  

 We have written on the Choctaw Freedmen's fight to belong.  There has been a lot of pressure put on the Choctaw Nation, today their CHIEF Gary Batton announced in an open letter, they will launch an initiative to consider....  is it enough or a good start?

Today the Choctaw Nation is announcing the launch of an initiative to consider tribal membership for Choctaw Freedmen. Changing the tribal membership requirements will require a Constitutional amendment, which will require a vote from tribal members. To be successful, we'll have to tell the story of why we believe this is necessary and listen to tribal members' input. This initiative will engage Choctaw Freedmen, the Department of Interior, existing tribal members, our elected officials and membership department officials, and other Choctaw proud in listening sessions to present findings and a recommendation to Choctaw elected officials.

Reconnecting After The Trauma Of Pechanga Disenrollment by Pechanga Descendant Cassie Whitten

My young cousin, Cassie Whitten, who still resides on our family’s allotment on the Pechanga reservation in Temecula CA, gives her perspective on reconnecting with her heritage and her native spirit. So many of us who are older like me, feel the sting and injustice differently.  

Cassie suffered trauma after our disenrollment, after Pechanga chairman Mark Macarro sent his jackbooted tribal rangers to physically remove Cassie and her other young cousins from the tribal school.  PLEASE READ HER EXPERIENCE detailed here.

Dear LeBron James, Stand up Against Civil Rights Violations By YOUR SPONSOR The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians

 

Dear LeBron James, 

We know you have been outspoken about civil rights issues in the Black Lives Matter v. Police issue as well as voting issues in Georgia .  We ask that you stand up for over 11,000 LIVING Native Americans who have had their civil and human rights violated by tribal disenrollment.  

Indigenous Super Lawyer Gabe Galanda Successful in Snoqualmie and Modoc Disenrollment Reversals

 Excellent news on the tribal disenrollment reversal front. Noted indigenous attorney Gabriel Galanda has reported success in getting two disenrollment cases overturned

Gabe reports:  Yesterday I helped this Snoqualmie father fight for his daughter's existence. Her mother, who is non-Indigenous, was not allowed to do so, at least publicly. After she was accepted for enrollment by the Snoqualmie General Council, and welcomed home, he wept. It was beautiful.

Snoqualmie Tribe

AND

In the Modoc case, Gabe was able to assist in her reinstatement to the tribe!   Read about that here  Well done Gabe... THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO

Gabe Galanda

On this Mother's Day, we honor our Mothers Who Were DEFAMED by Disenrollment

 HAPPY MOTHER'S Day to all our friends and relations.  We remind one and all that OUR MOHTER'S, GrandMOTHER'S, Great GrandMOTHER'S and our ancestor mothers have been defamed, dishonored and abused by tribal disenrollment

Prince Harry Lectures At Stadium Sponsored By Apartheid Pechanga Casino Tribe

This was a concert for first responders, held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.  Sponsored by a Tribe that stripped citizenship from 25% of their people, many who live under segregation.

Harry  telling the crowd, "None of us should be comfortable with thinking that we can be fine when so many others are suffering." (Or living under apartheid and elders abused with children stripped of the heritage)

"In reality, and especially with this pandemic, when any suffer, we all suffer," he exclaimed. "We must look beyond ourselves with empathy and compassion for those we know, and those we don't. We need to lift up all of humanity, and make sure that no person or community is left behind."  (11,000 Native Americans suffer from Disenrollment)

SipFi Stadium