Even as their relatives oppose the move, the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma is ready to make history by settling its land claim in New York for a casino.

The tribe is part of the 64,000-acre Cayuga land claim. The tribe became a part of the case after elders went to New York to prove their Iroquois ancestry. "Our faithkeepers came up and laid wampum down and spoke with the Cayuga and that sealed the deal there," Jay WhiteCrow tells The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

But now that the tribe is asserting sovereign rights in New York, the Cayuga Nation isn't too thrilled. The Cayugas say their out-of-state relatives can't bring their government back.

If the Seneca-Cayugas reach a deal, it would set a precedent for a tribe returning to its ancestral home, says an Indian law expert.

Get the Story:
Oklahoma tribe is rooted in New York (The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle 7/11)
Bruno doubts casino will win approval (The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle 7/10)
Downtown casino is a gamble (The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle 7/10)
Tribe looks for Sennett casino site (The Syracuse Post-Standard 7/10)

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