Art Welmas, the former chairman of the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians and a giant among California Indians, died on December 17. He was 77.

Welmas led the tribe in a landmark legal battle. He opened a small gaming facility that was raided by state authorities. In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the state had no right to regulate gaming on the reservation.

The ruling paved the way for the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. The tribal casino industry now generates $23 billion in revenues.

"He worked hard for his tribe and for Indian Country," Richard M. Milanovich, the chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, told The Riverside Press-Enterprise. "We are thankful that he refused to give in when it came to taking care of his people."

Welmas was buried on his family's plot on the La Jolla Reservation.

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Cabazon Indian leader who pursued gaming rights dies (The Riverside Press-Enterprise 1/5)
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Relevant Links:
Cabazon Band of Mission Indians - http://www.cabazonindians-nsn.gov

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