Monday, August 20, 2007

Don't expect the truth from Barwest on matters of Native American history or ancestral territories

The principals, partners and agents of Detroit-based Barwest LLC (including Marian Ilitch, Michael Malik, Tom Shields, Lance Boldrey, Virgil Moorehead, Katherine Saubel, Kevin Siva and Shane Chaparossa among others) have demonstrated time and time again that they can't be trusted when it comes to matters of Native American history in the Mojave Desert or ancestral ties to the greater Barstow area.

Consider the following example of sloppy disregard for the truth.

For more than a year, the official Barwest Web site barstowcasinosandresort.com has posted the following false "factoid" among others on its Barstow History page:


"The aboriginal territory of the Chemehuevi Indians (of which the membership of the modern Chemehuevi Tribe is composed) was located to the west of the Vanyume's territory."



The truth is, the Chemehuevi Indian Reservation is located on the California shore line of Lake Havasu and the Colorado River. Lake Havasu and the Colorado River are located east of Barstow and the area believed to be the ancestral lands of the Vanyume people.

And it's generally understood and accepted by all -- except apparently Barwest, LLC and its tribal partners -- that the bulk of the Chemehuevi ancestral territory is located to the east of Barstow/Mojave River; not the west.

The Antelope Valley Indian Museum indicates what is commonly understood by most:



"The Vanyume shared a territorial boundary with the Chemehuevi to the northeast."



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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

who can really verify the ancient truth? seems to me that the indians want a casino whats the matter with that? larryearp@msn.com

Anonymous said...

People in Hell want ice water!

The voters of California approved casinos on known Indian reservations, not where ever some unscrupulous out of state developer exploiting Indians wants to set one up.

Anonymous said...

These people have not been straight with us. Now I am concerned Barstow will be left empty handed.

We can not understand why Mayor Dale let this happen. He bet on the wrong horse! He drove all the others out of town.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous- It can be hard to verify ancient truth, however it is quite easy to verify who has aboriginal ties to Barstow. It is the Western Shoshone People, by right of the Treaty of Ruby Valley. Signed and Ratified by the United States Government back in 1863-67.
For info go to http://www.newesogobia.com and http://www.wsdp.org

Nativegal- you are only partially correct, a lot of people like to take the wording of Prop 1A that allowed Indian Gaming and add words to it. Prop 1A merely allowed Indian Gaming to continue on Indian Lands. There was no mention about limiting it to specific lands or banning it on new lands. Limitations on where Indian Gaming can occur is something that is decided on at the federal level and more to the point in the "Indian Gaming Regulatroy Act". Google that

Rock_Hound- You like most people of Barstow have a right to be concerned. Barstow knew full well about the Treaty and the Shoshone Claims. Barstow was dealing with a Shoshone tribe at the time (2003). In comes Barwest and all of a sudden Barstow is exclusive to Barwest. If most people didn't know better they would think there was some unmarked paper bags filled with little green slips of paper going to someone that was making the decisions in Barstow. The leaders of Barstow are doing what they are supposed to be doing, they are leading, alas they happen to be leading the citizens of Barstow down a dead end street.

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certainly must reads!

Ilitch has backed loosing sports teams and pizza, but casinos in Detroit? Forbes.com 10.09.06 ● Marian Ilitch #1 on "25 Most Powerful People" to Watch 2006” global gaming business o1.oo.o5 ● My Kingdom for a Casino Forbes 05.08.06 ● Big Lagoon’s casino dream awakens north coast journal 07.28.05 ● Shinnecocks launch legal claim to Hamptons land newsday.com 06.16.05 ● Ilitch Plans to Expand Casino Empire RGTonline.com 07.05.05 ● Ilitch outbids partners MichiganDaily.com 04.14.05 ● Ilitch enmeshed in NY casino dispute detnews.com 03.20.05 ● Marian Ilitch, high roller freep.com 03.20.05 ● MGM Mirage to Decide on Offer for Casino in Detroit rgtonline.com 04.16.05 ● Secret deal for MotorCity alleged freep.com 02.15.05 ● Los Coyotes get new developer desertdispatch.com 02.08.05 Detroit casino figure to finance Barstow project LasVegasSun.com 07.07.03 ● Indian Band trying to put casino in Barstow signonSanDiego.com 06.04.03 Pizza matriarch takes on casino roles detnews.com 10.23.02 ● Vanderbilt gets short straw in negotiations for a casino Lansing Journal 10.06.02 ● Indians aim to drive family from tribe in vicious dispute san diego union tribune 04.09.00 ●Malik owns 2000 Michigan Quarter Horse of the Year Michigan.gov 01.01.00 ● Detroit Team to run Michigan’s newest Indian casino detnews.com 05.23.99 Tiger ties tangle Marian Ilitch detnews.com 04.29.99 ● Three investors must sell their Detroit casino interests gamblingmagazine.com 04.25.99 ● Partners’ cash revived election; They say money was crucial to Prop-E detnews.com 04.25.99 Investors have troubled histories las vegas review journal 04.27.99 ● Investor served probation for domestic assault on 12 year old boy detnews.com 04.25.99 Can a pair win a jackpot?: local men hope to... crainsdetroit.com 03.17.97

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