Guests honored for “Standing with the Nation” were L to R: Saunie Kay Wilson, Rick Thomas, Karen Red Owl, Diane LaPointe, Attorney Conly Shulte, Winnebago Chairman John Blackhawk, Santee Sioux Tribal Chairman Roger Trudell and Butch Denny.
SANTEE, NEBRASKA. — The Santee Sioux Nation had something to celebrate on February 11; the 15th Anniversary of the opening of their Ohiya Casino & Bingo. As a unified tribe they overcame assaults from the U.S. Government and the State of Nebraska to keep their casino open so they could lift their Nation out of extreme poverty and despair. “With tribal leader vision and tribal member perseverance, we have a small tribal gaming operation with 200 Class II gaming machines, employ 40 people, are self-sufficient and debt free, out here in the middle of nowhere in a county with less than 10,000 people,” Thelma Thomas, Ohiya Casino General Manager said. The struggle for self-sufficiency for this small band of Isanti Dakota, who live along the banks of the Missouri in northern Nebraska, began more than 20 years ago. In 1996, after five years of unsuccessful negotiations with the State of Nebraska to develop a tribal/state Class III gaming compact, the Santee Oyate opened the Ohiya Casino with 29 unclassified gaming machines and nine employees. When tribal leaders opened the doors, they did so to create jobs for their membership, who lived in one of the most poverty stricken areas in the state. Little did they know they would; create a firestorm of controversy that would nearly land all of their tribal members in jail and test to the limit the true meaning of tribal sovereignty. Shortly after the casino opened, the State of Nebraska filed suit. An eight year legal battle ensued wherein the state and the federal government sought every means to shut the Ohiya Casino down including freezing and garnishing tribal bank accounts, charging the Santee Nation with contempt of court, imposing $6,000 daily fines and ultimately threatening to jail tribal council members. “Unemployment was at 75 percent. There were no jobs. We faced going to jail but we had to, so the nation would have jobs,” Butch Thomas former Santee Sioux Chairman said. “It was amazing how many people wanted to work when we opened the doors.” Thelma Thomas said when it all began she didn’t know what she was getting into, but respect for the legacy left by her resilient tribal ancestors gave her the strength to confront any obstacles that the federal government might throw at them. “I loved my tribal ways and I believed in Tribal Sovereignty, but I still didn’t know what I was getting into. But that was a long time ago,” she said. “We wanted to come together today and eat together and acknowledge some of the folks that helped the Santee Sioux Nation and this business 15 years ago.” The celebration could have been in house she said with casino employees and gaming commissioners but because the Isanti Oyate had so much to celebrate they wanted it to be “much, much more.” And it was. Lining the walls of the Ohiya Bingo Hall was an array of brightly crafted satin star quilts and an exquisitely arranged banquet table set with a mouth-watering assortment of Valentine’s Day treats. At the front of the room sat the current leaders of the Isanti Oyate, Itancun (Chairman) Rodger Trudell, Vice Chairman Dave Henry, Treasurer Robert Campbell, Secretary Cora Jones, Howe Creek District Rep. Roberta Red Wing, Santee District Rep. Marcella LaPointe, Bazile Creek District Rep. Felix Kitto and Hobo Creek District Rep. Marion Brandt. The celebration began with Maza Kuta drum, whose members include Kalon Strickland, Chance Strickland, Redwing Thomas and Wyatt Thomas, singing a Dakota honor song. Chairman Trudell welcomed everyone and acknowledged all those who were instrumental in the eventual success of their controversial tribal business venture. He later spoke about the days when his tribe exercised their sovereign right to open the casino even though they faced federal prosecution. “We had to fight every step of the way,” he said and when the casino doors opened there was “equipment that maybe we shouldn’t have had” and jokingly hesitated to give names and details on how the equipment got there because “the statute of limitations may not have run out yet.” Guests at the celebration included John Blackhawk Chairman of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska who gave the opening prayer. He said he supported the Santee in their fight to keep the doors of the Ohiya Casino open and acknowledged that it “was a battle that was very hard to wage.” Chairman Trudell read an excerpt from the Omaha Herald that recognized the accomplishments of the late Richard Kitto, a descendent of Maza Didi, Mdewakontowan/Wahpekute, and was the Itancun during compact negotiations with the state of Nebraska.
Santee Sioux Tribal Chairman Roger Trudell and Ohiya Casino General Manager Thelma Thomas.
Brief history of the Santee struggle
Shortly after the casino opened in February of 1996, the Justice Department became involved and sued the tribe charging that the machines they were operating were illegal. A federal judge imposed a $3,000-a-day levy, and then upped it to $6,000. In no time, the tribe owed more than $1 million. Meanwhile, the Justice Department began seizing the tribe’s bank accounts. The National Indian Gaming Commission advised the tribe to install pseudo slot machines, like those used by the Seminoles of Florida, to get around the Class III controversy. The tribe complied. The Justice Department sued again charging that the games NIGC had recommended were also illegal. A federal judge in Omaha, Neb., disagreed and sided with the Santee and the NIGC. But the Justice Department appealed the ruling and dispatched a squad of high powered litigators who prosecute organized crime kingpins to argue the case. In August of 1999, the Santee Sioux prepared themselves in a spirit of solidarity and went to the federal courthouse in Omaha ready to face jail. Their slogan “Tribal Sovereignty is non-negotiable.” Tribal members share their story
Kenny Chapman who was on tribal council during that time said, “I was kind of hesitant when they said those of you who want to go to court tomorrow stand up. The women on our council stood up. They did it, so it gave me the strength to stand up.” He said he was thankful for Santee Tribal Attorney Conly J. Schulte who fought alongside them during their turbulent struggle against the United States Government and helped keep them out of jail. Chapman said he looks forward to the time when the tribe can expand their business ventures to include a hotel and Class III gaming. “I hope that the new casino that we are trying to build will increase the employment not only for the Santee Sioux people but for other people in this area. When we can employ 2,000 people in a new casino/hotel, it will give us a chance to do something regarding Class III gaming so the money can stay here in Nebraska. Because there is a lot of people going into South Dakota and neighboring states to spend their money on gaming,” he said. Diane LaPointe who served as tribal secretary said she is proud to have shared that part of her tribe’s history, “I never thought about going to jail because in my heart I knew it was the right thing to do because of our employment. What little jobs we did have, people were fighting for. So I was ready to sacrifice that. I am really proud of what we have today because without being willing to make that sacrifice we wouldn’t have what we have today.” She said she knew she had to make the sacrifice for the younger generation and that if you looked around the casino, “pretty much the people who are running this casino are our younger people. So I am really thankful we did what we had to do. I am glad that I was a part of that.” Karen Red Owl who also served on tribal council when they faced going to jail said she could honestly admit that there had only been two times in her life that her legs almost gave out on her and they were both council related. “One was that council meeting and the other was walking into that district courtroom. Until that point I wasn’t really worried about going to jail until I saw the armed guards and the sheriff’s deputies. Then it kind of hit home, they aren’t messing around. They are going to do something to us. It was really nice to look up and see the people that came by bus to support us. I was one of the first ones who had to go up there and testify and I learned real fast how to say ‘I plead the fifth,’” she said. Rick Thomas who was also on tribal council during that time said he could really feel the solidarity of the people during that turbulent time and has a lot of respect for the tribal leaders who led the fight. He said when they were in the district courtroom facing the federal prosecution, “that judge slammed that hammer down he turned around and looked at that U.S. attorney and said, ‘What you want us to do, lock up the whole damn tribe? Court dismissed.’” The feds appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, but they refused to hear the case. As a gesture of appreciation for “standing with the nation” all the guests of honor were gifted with the beautiful satin star quilts that graced the walls of the Ohiya Bingo Hall. Guests honored were Oglala Sioux Tribal Judge Saunie Kay Wilson, Rick Thomas, Karen Red Owl, Diane LaPointe, Attorney Conly Shulte, Winnebago Chairman John Blackhawk, Santee Sioux Tribal Chairman Roger Trudell and Butch Denny. Also honored but not present was Omaha Tribal Chairman Amen Sheridan. “I want to personally say to you, Pidamaya because without your kind of leadership, we would not have anything. But you held it, you had the vision, you had the perseverance,” Thelma Thomas said. “I want to thank all of you, it was my honor.” All present were treated to a delectable dinner prepared by the staff of Ohiya restaurant of roast beef, chicken, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, veggies, a dinner roll as well as all the Valentine’s day treats. The casino staff also gifted everyone in attendance with Ohiya Casino T-shirts, caps and mugs.
A pair of bald eagles relax along the banks of the Missouri River near Santee, Neb. where the Isanti Oyate were celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the opening of their Ohiya Casino & Bingo. (Contact Ernestine Chasing Hawk at managingeditor@nsweekly.com)