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In recent months there has been much speculation as to what the Delaware Tribe’s intentions are with respect to our ever increasing presence in the state of Kansas, our treaty-promised “forever home.”

While I come from a long-standing position to not report anything till I have something to report, it’s clear that speculation has taken over our reason, our history and our intentions, so it is with some legitimate hesitation that I break our silence on the question because I am concerned our efforts will be aborted due to fear and speculation.

Historic Connections

Historically known as the Grandfather tribe by other tribes, our Tribe signed the first treaty with the United States, in our final set of treaties with the United States, we were placed in Indian Territory, (now known as Oklahoma) to exist within the boundaries of another tribal nation, the Cherokees. For much of the time since, efforts to remain a solid, sovereign nation has been a generational fight. A fight for our culture, our language our heritage and ultimately our existence as a people.

After nearly 150 years of litigation and conflict with the U.S. and the Cherokee Nation (one of the largest tribal nations in the United States), history proves the Delaware Tribe has never been afraid of long odds or ever be known to shrink from a fight that seeks to eradicate us from history. Our right to function as any other federally recognized tribe will never occur under the jurisdiction of another tribe in Oklahoma.

Delaware’s Right to Exist

The Delaware’s only seek to exercise the same benefits of tribal sovereignty that every other tribe in the U.S., including the four tribes within the state of Kansas, currently enjoys. While our expressed intentions have never sought to threaten the sovereignty of another tribe in requesting a service area in Kansas, nor do we wish any harm or detriment to any local government or the state of Kansas with our presence. Our intention is to bring more services to an area that could help those that currently go without and to add to existing services that already are underfunded. The proposed area is carefully chosen, not only to reflect our current presence, our concentration of population of Tribal members but also not to infringe on the jurisdiction of the tribes who comprise the “Four Tribes” in Kansas.

Even the most objective observers of federal Indian policy have concluded that federally recognized tribes have been lied to, cheated, assimilated and have had their tribal cultures, traditions and land holdings virtually destroyed by U.S. policies in the past. As improved as things may appear today, those same observers have concluded the Delaware Tribe of Indians have never benefited from current policies that are in place today to help restore tribal governments.

Every Tribe’s Right to Pursue Gaming

Some allege the ONLY reason the Delaware Tribe is engaged in moving to Kansas is to build a casino and are the puppet of greedy gaming developers who are hiding behind the pretense of tribal sovereignty to engage in what some people call, “reservation shopping.” While we may bristle at the notion of such a charge, let me address it head on because it’s important for us to convey we are guided by principle more than any practical economic benefit that every tribe is entitled to pursue.

Since the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988, federally recognized tribes have the authority to enter into the gaming business. In all the years the federal government has tried to reverse the poverty on tribal lands and help tribes overcome their own unique problems, no other law passed by Congress has done more to help tribes have the resources to help save their communities and reinvest in the educational and quality of life issues of our people than the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

No tribe would ever take gaming off the table as a viable option as long as it is legally available. This isn’t new or unique to Kansas; actually the Kansas Tribes have done so, as well as the state of Kansas when they licensed their own private casinos and lotteries. However, the legal process is lengthy and complicated. The Wyandottes are an example of a tribe who persevered through the process and even though the federal law was less restrictive at the time, the downtown Kansas City casino was in litigation for nearly two decades.

We are a people true to our word, regardless of the outcome of a tribal election, the principles of keeping our commitments even those that are inherited by our predecessors such as an agreement with a gaming developer will and are still binding on the Tribe, regardless of who the Chief is at any one time. Gaming is nothing more than a means to an end, which provides our Tribe the resources to strengthen our community and bring up the lives of our people.

As the elected representatives of our people, we have sworn to protect the interest of the Delaware people engrained in our tribal constitution. This oath is no less important than the one elected representative of other tribes hold to, or state officials or the elected officials of our federal government. As a government we have engaged in or attempted to engage in government-to-government conversations with other tribes, local government and federal officials in our decision to expand our presence in Kansas.

Delaware Vision: Partnerships through Collaboration

The Delaware Tribe of Indians has a profound vision for our future in Kansas. With respect to other activities within the state’s borders’ we are actively in conversations with the state and local governments as well as federal agencies that hold a trust relationship with the Delaware Tribe to establish a service area. This is not a request for a reservation, nor is it taking lands off the tax rolls, nor is it designed to threaten anyone’s property rights. The designation is awarded to tribal nations who demonstrate a historic connection to the area and the capacity to render federal services that Indian people are eligible for in these areas. Such as agriculture, law enforcement, road and bridge improvements, health care just to name a few. In our proposed service area, there are nearly 50,000 Native Americans eligible for but without access to such services because no tribe serves the area.

The expansion will allow the Tribe to deliver services not only to our own tribal members but also members of other federally recognized tribes who are eligible for federal services but do not live on one of the four tribe’s reservations (the areas in which they serve). The designation will reduce the burden on local and state governments and allow the state’s money to go further for all Kansas citizens. Aside from social and infrastructure services, the Tribe is focused on the economic impact to communities through job creation, support of small businesses and investment in community projects. The Tribe does not outsource jobs we create to China or India. A local tribe in your area with a spirit for partnership and community collaboration is like having both a corporate and governmental presence that creates services, jobs and economic opportunity.

The process for our expansion is unprecedented. We move forward in a good way, slowly and deliberately. The end goal of the Tribe to be actively engaged in many counties and communities as a full-range service provider to all Kansas Native Americans not living on a reservation will take time to realize. But to the Delaware Tribe, time is on our side, because we never, never, never give up,

Wanishi,
Chief Paula Pechonick
Delaware Tribe of Indians

Note: Painting on the home page accompanying this post is titled The Last Removal, by the Lenape artist Jacob Parks (1890-1949), which depicts a Lenape family leaving their home on their reservation in Kansas in 1867.

Check out this video about the Tribe’s “Return to Kansas” initiative!

» View Video