TRMT 396 Lecture #7 Dan McDonald. Both casinos & cultural centres can be seen as efforts to effect change Sovereignty and Survival at the core of each.

TRMT 396

Lecture #7

Dan McDonald

Both casinos & cultural centres can be seen as efforts to effect change

Sovereignty and Survival at the core of each

Whether to focus on economy or culture as the route

Local conditions, history and relations shape the choice and the evolution

Gaming on reserves in U.S since the 1940’s bingo halls

(1982)Indian Casinos first legalized in Minnesota

Mid 8o’s court cases in Florida & California

U.S. steps in to regulate with NIGC

(1996) Casino Rama (ONT) & Bear Claw (SK)open

Presently 17 in Canada (out of 70+ total) but 200+ in U.S.

For many communities first real economic driver in a century

Allows ↑choice/agency in contrast to program based development

Some capital payouts ( e.g. Mystic Lake) but most use to make social investment & ↑ land base

Often catalyst & funding source for creation of cultural centre (e.g. Yavapai Apache)

Wealth can shift balance of relationships & shift view to net contributor (e.g. 1999 est. Tulalip injects 25.4 mil into local economy; Foxwoods donated $1 mil to start tourism organization)

Not all large- many small, with local focus

Impacts can be rapid and fall both ways (e.g. Foxwoods gets 50,000 visitors each day)

Social outfall (crime, addiction, etc)

Cash basis of the business ( ↑ risk of theft & embezzlement)

Profits may undermine cultural integrity (e.g enrolment demand in some communities)

Can exacerbate inequality between tribes (urban/rural)

Often outsider dominance of top jobs

Temporal nature – potential boom/bust

Anders (1999)

Often with tribal motifs and entertainment

Sometimes a conscious link to NaturePequot’s slogan of

“Gaming in Its Natural State”

Tribal members in front line positions

Community events venue

Chosen cultural Expression has links to others

Expressions vary in importance re sustaining community

Outside influence can cause substitution or adaption

Expressions can be linked (strength varies)↑in one = ↑in all/ ↓in one= ↓in all↑in one = ↓in others etc.

↑Attention, can ↑practice & strength

Knowing significance is keyCarter (2003)

Protect a significant cultural site

Tell history from their perspective

Create a place to learn from the elders

Increase community member employment

Recognize ownership of landBoth external (cultural tourism,

museum display) and internal (teaching language, preserving memories, maintaining social ties, caring for the land,

etc) foci

Christen (2007)

Stress the imposition of colonial power & survival

Reversal of ‘gaze’ with visitor objectified

No owners namesLittle

interpretation/depends on local to explain

Involve greater community in dance & language program

Legitimize a local hierarchical system & families

Grouped by family early on , but still identify

Stress honouring memory

Exclusive authorized performers/legitimize current leaders

Nuyumbalees

Mauzé (2003)

Evidence of start in 1800’sStudy of 4 centres

Mashantucket Pequot, Navajo, Wind River (Eastern

Shoshone) , AcomaEvoking difference

Visibly invisibleAudibly inaudible

“displayed withholding”This discourse can cause

internal divides as well

Lawlor (2006)

Is it a choice of priorities or of means?

Are the costs worth the gains, both within communities and in the region?

Both choices are open to judgment from the dominant society and visitors

Both “spaces of hope” for success and re-dress

Anders, G. (1999). Indian Gaming: Financial and Regulatory Issues. In Johnson, T. (ed). Contemporary Native American Political Issues. Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira Press.

Belanger, Y. (2011). First Nations Gaming in Canada. Winnipeg, MB: University of Manitoba Press.

Christen, K. (2007). Following the Nyinkka: Relations of Respect and Obligation to Act in the Collaborative Work of Aboriginal Cultural Centers. Museum Anthropology. 30 (2): 101-124.

Cozetto, D. (1995). The Economic and Social Implications of Indian Gaming: The Case of Minnesota. American Indian Culture and Research Journal. 19 (1): 119-131.

d’ Hauteserre, A-M. (20oo). Lessons in managed destination competitiveness: the case of Foxwoods Casino Resort. Tourism Management. 21: 23-32.

Lawlor, M.(2006). Public Native America: Tribal Self-Representation in Museums, Powwows and Casinos. Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers.

Zeppel, H. (2002). Cultural Tourism at the Cowichan Native Village, British Columbia. Journal of Travel Research. 41: 92-100.