The sovereignty of a nation has in the past been linked to the capability of a state fend itself through the stringent economic and financial constraints (Mezey, 711). Many states across the globe have maintained their sovereignty and economic growth by boosting the traditional arts of various communities in such nations. Wood carvings, the Martial arts, stone carvings and the basket weavings are some of the traditional aspects of life that have ensured stable financial sovereignty in most countries(Mezey, 689). Jessica R. Cattelino through his book, High Stake: Florida Seminole Gaming and Sovereignty illustrates how the wealth accumulated through gaming has contributed to the financial and economic development of the traditional American Indians in Florida hence maintaining their cultural and economic sovereignty as a tribe.
The tribal gambling has enabled the Seminoles to reinstate their traditional housing designs and the organisation of the community that had been disoriented for over four decades due to poverty. During the early 1960s, the Department of Housing and Urban Development of the United States of America in partnership with the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs had forced the tribal members into settling in cement-block homes (Cattelino, 143). The compelled settlement by Indian America tribe was not done in regards to the family ties that existed between the members of the tribe. The new wealth generated by the community through gaming enabled the tribe to bring back their traditional settlement patterns and style. The current settlement was ushered in with fundamental structural aspect, traditions construction and house arrangement formats that facilitated the clustering of the community according to the matrilineal clans of the Seminole. The re-establishment of the initial Seminole housing arrangements enabled the tribe to once more align to its cultural sovereignty that had initially disrupted by economic problems the community experienced in Florida.
The financial prosperity has empowered the Seminoles to rejuvenate their traditions and commemorate their culture. The gaming has provided the Seminoles with funds and other resources needed to jubilate their traditions, and social doctrines is a more significant way than previously imagined (Cattelino, 43). The community's members can now raise finances through contributions to organise the traditional social where the members display their impressive talents. The cultural events were instrumental in the unity and integration of the Seminoles. "….. gaming has provided Seminoles with the resources to good on those values" Cattelino noted with great concern the significance of the social events organised by the community.
The gaming has endowed a social safety net coverage that ensures a charity donations to the needy members of the tribe. The generous monthly contribution by Seminoles empowered the community members a great deal (Cattelino, 78). The charity program has facilitated easy accessibility to the universal healthcare, extensive education financial support and full care to the elderly. Cattelino illustrates that the tribal members of the community would always say that Seminole takes care of the children and the elderly. The tribe knew that being wealthy was not all about the lucrative lifestyle and possession of fancy cars but helping the needy in the community. The unlimited education financial support enabled the Seminole youth to take part in vocational training in the in the productive sectors that best suited their preference. "Since gaming young men enjoy unprecedented education, carrier and income earning options…" Cattelino recognised the passion of the Seminole to Charity work through the resources generated by gaming hence safeguarding the real interest of the tribe (Cattelino, 49). The youths took part in the Seminole Crafts such as alligator-wrestling, bed work, wood carvings and patchwork clothing.
The Seminoles were able to secure loans for personal development after being granted a federal trust by the government. For several decades, the Federal Trust limited the American Indians from acquiring loans from the commercial banks (Cattelino, 124). The new tribal wealth enabled the Seminoles to acquire the credit services on their own. The Seminoles expressed significant pride and happiness in their capability of providing for their financial and economic needs as a community. Initially, the tribe had to wait for the intervention by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the federal assistance programs to acquire the credit facility. The political power of the tribe has hiked, and the community can fend for its requirements. "Now we don't have to wait on anyone anymore, and I think to me that means a whole lot, to be able to do something ourselves…"Therefore, the wealth that was gained by the Seminoles earned them financial security to acquire the loans without the assistance of BIA. The independence loan acquisition cushions the cultural and fiscal sovereignty of the American Indians. Additionally, it enabled the tribe to gain an increased political power in the United States.
The Seminoles could protect their sovereign rights and interest through legal procedures. The Seminoles went through the legal channels and processes to safeguard the tribe’s interest in the context of gaming (Cattelino, 134). Moreover, the tribe applied for other prime forms of economic development that favoured not only their own interest but also the needs and grievances of other tribes — for instance, the application of the reservation of the gas stations to a high capital venture initiative. Catellino asserted that legal teams had been contracted to protect and defend the naming rights and the legal procedural documents sent to the legal institutions to pursue the principal issues that affect the tribe (Cattelino, 119). The financial prosperity acquired through gaming has enabled the tribe to contract the professionals to fight for the rights and interest of Seminoles and those of other tribes. The legal procedures initiated by the individual team were tailored to shield the political affairs of the tribe hence the reinsurance of the sovereignty of the community that had all along been regarded inferior due to high poverty preference experienced by the community.
The tribe's new wealth generated through gaming subjected Seminoles to harsh public scrutiny (Cattelino, 117). "I have heard Seminoles lament that no one bothered them as long as they were poor and selling trinkets to tourists, but once they started making money, they came under harsh public scrutiny…" says Catellino. Initially, everyone regarded tribal gaming as a platform that promoted crime. The Seminoles strongly bestowed their hopes on the tribal gaming and referred to it as a money maker. Some of the strangers of American native approached the Seminoles and inquired about the amount of money they earned. The vehicles that belonged to the Indian-American were vandalised since they could be tribally-identified by the other tribes. These painful encounters by the tribe were due to their newly accumulated wealth. As a result, the new form of stereotypes and resentments from the Non-Indians were experienced by the tribe. It is because of the financial prosperity that the other American natives violated the social Sovereignty of the Indian-Americans.
The high stake returns were used by the Seminoles diversify their traditional economic practices into aeroplane manufacturing, eco-tourism, citrus and sugarcane production and meat packing(Cattelino, 157). The agonising prospects of tribal game gambling compelled the tribe to shift its financial practices to current investment. The economic shift was initiated through venture into modern forms of businesses and ensured the protection of their economy since gambling was a subject to abrupt disappearance (Cattelino, 98). The economic diversity, therefore, preserved the already established financial sovereignty of the Indian American. As such, the financial sustainability of the Seminoles was well accounted for. The variety would ensure the continuity of the charity services such as primary healthcare and extensive education economic program. "One woman described her children as acting like princess and kings, and she found it necessary to remind them that she grew up in a chickee without electricity..." Catellino revealed.
In conclusion, the sovereignty of a nation or a tribe is directly affected by its economic status. Before the financial prosperity of the Seminoles, their rights and interest were infringed by the government and other American tribes who perceived them to be poor. The tribe could neither afford to organise its cultural events. With the gaming prosperity, the tribe was granted access to credit facilities and could empower its people and projects. Therefore the sovereignty of a group of people should be protected despite their economic and financial status.
Work Cited
Cattelino, Jessica. High stakes: Florida Seminole gaming and sovereignty. Duke University Press, 2008.
Mezey, Naomi. "The distribution of wealth, sovereignty, and culture through Indian gaming." Stan. L. Rev. 48 (1995): 711.
