Cahuilla Nation Activism and the Tribal Casino Movement

In 1980, when the Cabazon Band first opened a small poker club on their Indian reservation in the isolated desert of California, they knew local authorities would challenge them. The Cabazon persisted and ultimately won, defeating the State of California in a landmark case before the Supreme Court. By fighting for their right to operate a poker club, the Cabazon secured the possibility for native nations across the United States to open casinos on their own reservations, spurring the growth of what is now a $30 billion industry. Cahuilla Nation Activism and the Tribal Casino Movement tells the bigger story of how the Cahuilla nationsincluding the Cabazonhave used self-reliance and determination to maintain their culture and independence against threats past and present. From Californias first governors war of extermination against native peoples through todays legal and political challenges, Gordon shows that successful responses have depended on the Cahuillas ability to challenge non-natives assumptions and misconceptions.