Chronology of American Indian History

people, who have lived in northeastern Alaska for
approximately 1,200 years. Like their ancestors,
they survive on subsistence hunting of a great
caribou herd. The area slated for oil development
includes the grounds where the caribou give birth
and raise most of their calves.
Fearing that oil drilling would destroy these
grounds and thus decimate the caribou herd, the
Gwich’in form the Gwich’in Steering Commit-
tee to publicize their concerns worldwide. Despite
their efforts, the proposed legislation will be close
to passing when the Exxon Valdez disaster (see entry
for MARCH 24, 1989) temporary deflates congres-
sional enthusiasm for further oil development in

Alaska. (See also entries for 1995 and for DECEM-

BER 21, 2005.).)

January 5

The National Native News is first broadcast.

Produced by the Alaska Public Radio Network, the

National Native News becomes the first daily radio

program to focus on news concerning Native Amer-

icans. Originally broadcast primarily in Alaska, the

news service will eventually be used by more than

150 public and tribal radio stations throughout the

United States.

February 3

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act

is amended.

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA)

(see entry for DECEMBER 18, 1971) is amended to

satisfy the demands of many Native groups. Origi-

nally, the ANCSA called for the establishment of

corporations to manage property communally

owned by Alaska Natives, who then held the shares

in these corporations. The amendment permits

shareholders to vote whether to offer new shares to

Native children born after 1971, to give additional

dividends to elderly shareholders, and to extend re-

strictions on the sale of shares.

February 25

California v. Cabazon Band allows for

unregulated Indian gaming houses.

In California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians,

the state of California takes the Cabazon band of

Indians to court for operating bingo and poker

games whose prizes exceed the $250-per-game limit

allowed by California gaming regulations. Uphold-

ing a lower-court ruling, the Supreme Court finds

that California cannot prohibit or regulate these

forms of gambling on Indian reservations because

it allows them on non-Indian lands. It could, how-

ever, prohibit a form of gambling on reservations if

it were also prohibited elsewhere in the state.

A dancer performs in the American Indian Dance The-
atre in 2002. (AP/Wide World Photos)