Chukchansi Tribe in California
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In Coarsegold, California, the issue is handled in cooperation with casinos as the Chukchansi Indians use their revenues from casino in the foothills of Sierra Nevada to promote the preservation of their language at California State University (Onishi). Linguists at the university, in exchange for the money donated by the Natives, will put a Chukchansi dictionary together, and help teach the language to younger Natives (Onishi).
Photo of Holly Wyatt by Jim Wilson for The New York Times
The 69-year old Holly Wyatt is the only fluent speaker of the Chukchansi language (Onishi). Ms. Wyatt said to The New York Times journalist, Norimitsu Onishi that “there are more people out there who can talk, but they do not come forward. I was like that, too. My daughter convinced me that I should do it.”
According to the National Indian Gaming Association, 184 tribes with gambling operations took in $29.2 billion in 2010 and made more than $100 million in charitable donations. When tribes decided to strengthen their rights to establish and build casinos, one of their motives was to create a place where Natives can speak and practice their own languages without any disturbing factors (Onishi). Mr. Onishi says that it is only a positive and practical side effect that they can use the revenue of the casinos to promote their language.
Native American casino in Coarsegold