Artist Austin Casson hopes his latest sculpture will lead to healing between the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians and the members the tribe disenrolled.
Casson created "The Healing" after talking to a tribal elder who was kicked out of the tribe. "I began to think what would happen to his family, his children and his grandchildren. Are they no longer Indians?" he told The North County Times.
The 24-inch-tall sculpture depicts an eagle in a manteling, or protective, position over eight Pechanga people. He plans to cast 35 copies in bronze but is saving the first one for a meeting between the tribe and its former members.
John Gomez Jr., a spokesman for one of the disenrolled families, doesn't think a meeting will be happening soon. The tribe has removed over 240 people from the rolls.
Get the Story:Artist offers sculpture to inspire discussion, healing to disenrolled Pechanga members (The North County Times 3/13) Relevant Links:
Pechanga Tribal Disenrollment - http://www.pechanga.info
Tribal Corruption - http://www.tribalcorruption.com
Bureau-of-Indian-Affairs.com, Disenrollment site - http://www.bureau-of-indian-affairs.com Related Stories:
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Women disenrolled after criticizing leaders (12/13)
USA Today: Tribes remove thousands from rolls (11/29)
Chukchansi Tribe latest to disenroll members (11/27)
Disenrolled Indians tie ouster to tribal greed (11/24)
California Indians cite growing disenrollments (11/08)
Former members protest Enterprise Rancheria (10/05)
Expert disputes Pechanga Band on disenrollment (09/25)
Opinion: Pechanga Band purges family of heritage (09/05)
Column: Tribal nations evict their own people (8/25)
Column: Pechanga family and Pluto demoted (8/25)
Column: Pechanga Band decimating Indians (8/22)
Pechanga Band removes another family from roll (8/21)
Disenrolled Indians seek accountability (08/07)
Disenrollment an issue in Pechanga Band election (07/13)
Greed, politics behind tribal enrollment spats (07/06)
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Editorial: Supreme Court passes on sovereignty (05/29)
Pechanga Band calls refusal of membership case a win (5/24)
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California Indians protest removal from tribes (05/01)
Campbell amendment put to test in court case (4/21)
Another Pechanga family faces removal from tribe (03/21)
Ousted Pechangas take case to U.S. Supreme Court (3/17)
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BIA asked to rule on rancheria membership dispute (1/20)
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Disenrolled Pechangas to take case to Supreme Court (12/15)
Per capita payments under tribal, federal scrutiny (09/26)
Court won't take on tribal enrollment dispute (9/14)
Pechanga Band says money not behind enrollment (08/10)
Disenrollment suit dismissed in California (8/9)
Ousted Pechangas plan appeal of enrollment lawsuit (8/9)
Disenrolled Pechangas seek $38M in damages (08/04)
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California AIM blames greed for mass disenrollments (5/16)
Editorial: Disenrollment becoming too common (04/01)
Ousted Pechangas file another lawsuit against tribe (03/28)
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Pechanga Band avoids dedication of city park (03/09)
Woman ejected from Pechanga Band in despair (01/27)
County investigates shooting on Pechanga land (01/14)
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Pechanga Band votes to retain Macarro as chairman (07/19)
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Pechanga descendants protest against enrollment policy (04/06)
Opinion: Greed, spite, history behind disenrollment (4/5)
Opinion: Calif. tribes disenrolling more people (4/1)
Pechanga tribal committee disenrolls 130 people (03/22)
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Calif. judge delays Pechanga Tribe's disenrollment (02/05)
Judge won't protect 130 from disenrollment (2/3)
Case tests Pechanga Tribe's right to disenroll 130 (02/02)
Adopted man protests exclusion Pechanga Tribe (01/15)
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