BIG LAGOON RANCHERIA TRIBAL HISTORY, RESERVATION

BIG LAGOON RANCHERIA
TRIBAL HISTORY, RESERVATION DEMOGRAPHICS,
GOVERNANCE AND EXISTING AND PLANNED
COMMERCIAL VENTURES
LOCATION AND LAND STATUS
The Big Lagoon Rancheria is located in northern California. Established by Executive Order in July
1918, the original Rancheria consisted of 9 acres. In 1985, the Tribe purchased an 11 acres parcel
contiguous to the Rancheria. It was taken into trust status in 1994. Big Lagoon Rancheria has
purchased other properties located near/or within 20 miles of the Rancheria.
The following picture is taken from Highway 101 looking west to Big Lagoon Rancheria trust and
non trust properties and natural Big Lagoon. The Trust properties are located in the left bottom tree
line corner. Two other parcels of Tribal non-trust property are located on the tree line right hand
corner of the picture.
The following picture is taken from Big Lagoon Rancheria trust property shoreline looking back
toward Highway 101 and the natural Big Lagoon.
CULTURE AND HISTORY
The total membership of Big Lagoon Rancheria is 17. Members of the Big Lagoon Rancheria are
descended from the Tolowa and Yurok tribes of northern California. The ancestral lands of the
Tolowa were in the coastal redwood forests of the northwestern regions of present-day California.
The indigenous language of the Tolowa belongs to the Athabascan family. Traditional sustenance of
the tribe was primarily salmon. The ancestral lands of the Yurok were also in the northwestern
regions of California. They resided primarily along the lower Klamath River and on the Pacific
Coast . Tribal members relied primarily on fish and shellfish for sustenance.
Spanish explorers arrived in California in the late 1500s. During the time of Spanish, and later
Mexican, dominance in the territory, lands were seized from the native populations and held in trust
for the crown. The indigenous people were displaced, enslaved, and often murdered. Americans
arrived in California in the mid-1800s and initiated a war with Mexico for rights to the California
regions. The Spanish-Mexicans were defeated and in 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe ended the
Mexican-American War.
Upon the discovery of gold in northern California, Euro-Americans began arriving in the state in
droves. In 1850, the California territory became a state and passed the Act for the Government and
Protection of Indians. This act mandated the regulation of Indian affairs to the state, permitted EuroAmericans the right to assume custody of native children, prohibited the use of native testimony
against a Euro-American charged with a crime, and permitted unemployed native peoples to be
arrested and hired out, a form of state sanctioned indentured servitude. The state further protected
prospectors and settlers as they encroached upon tribal territories and seized water sources in the
area.
Between 1851 and 1853 Indian commissioners negotiated eighteen treaties between the government
and multiple native groups. The agreements were to reserve over 7.5 million acres for various tribes
across the state but the senate did not ratify these Barbour Treaties. The tribes were not informed of
this decision until the 20th century and proceeded to live in agreement with the mandates outlined by
the treaties. They ceded millions of acres of land to the government and confined themselves to the
reservations designated by the Barbour Treaties.
Local, state, and federal agencies condoned the effort of to commit genocide against the native
people of California. Indigenous people were openly murdered, attacked, and enslaved. The
atrocities committed against the indigenous groups so outraged the Mexican government that
officials crossed the U.S.-Mexico border to conduct investigations and threatened to bring arms
against the citizens of California if the violence did not cease. The intervention on their behalf and
their ability to isolate themselves in the mountainous regions of the state enabled some tribes to
escape total decimation. However, from an estimated population of over 150,000 in 1845, by 1855,
the native population was reduced to less than 50,000. By 1900, less than 16,000 indigenous people
remained.
GOVERNMENT
The Big Lagoon Rancheria was established by Executive Order on July 10, 1918. The Rancheria
consisted of 9 acres. The Tribe was scheduled for federal termination in 1968 but the termination
process was not implemented. . The Tribe has never lost its recognition as a federally recognized
tribe. The Tribe has significantly expanded its operations and land base since 1968.
The Big Lagoon Rancheria is governed by a Business Council pursuant to the Tribal Constitution as
amended in 1985. The Big Lagoon Rancheria Business Council is responsible for governing the
people, resources, land, and waters of the tribe in accordance with the tribal constitution.
Pursuant to Public Law 93-638 and contracting provisions, the Tribal Government contacts various
programs and services under the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Tribal Government operates the
following programs: Higher Education, Roads, Aid to Tribal Government, Social Services,
Community Fire, and Indian Child Welfare. The Tribe also provides housing services pursuant to
DHUD NAHASDA funding and/or DHUD ICDBG funding. The Tribal Government also chartered
a tribal entity, the Two Feathers Native American Family Services organization for the development
and delivery of various social services to Tribal members and other Native Americans within
Humboldt County.
ECONOMY
One of the Tribe’s enterprises is in the tourism industry that contributes to the tribal economy. The
tribe owns a hotel in the historic town of Arcata, a seaside town that draws an ample amount of
visitors. The Tribe is in the planning and developmental phases of constructing a state of the art
health fitness facility on tribal fee property located in the nearby town of Mckinleyville, California.
The grand opening for the health fitness facility is projected for July 2006.
The following picture is the front the Tribe’s Hotel Arcata enterprise.
The hotel amenities include the Tomo Japanese Restaurant, a Natural Selection gift shop, and a
Panache beauty salon. There is a banquet room with a capacity of 85 individuals. The hotel is
located in the historic Plaza and provides easy access to local shopping, sightseeing, and hiking.
The following picture is the lobby, stairway , and entrance area to Japanese restaurant within the
Hotel Arcata.
GAMING
The tribe began the initial to development of a gaming facility on the Rancheria in 1996. However,
due to issues beyond the control of the tribe, i.e. statewide gaming issues and propositions and other
legal issues, the tribe halted the construction of the gaming facility shortly thereafter.
The tribe was forced to sue the State of California to secure a gaming compact to conduct class 3
gaming operations on the Rancheria in 1999. The Tribe and State of California are currently in court
ordered negotiations regarding the terms for a class 3 gaming operation on the Rancheria.
At the request of the State of California, Big Lagoon Rancheria entered into discussions with the Los
Coyotes Band and their developer, BarWest, and the City of Barstow in mid 2004 for an alternative
off reservation site for a tribal casino. Negotiation with the State of California for a gaming compact
for the proposed Barstow location commenced in March 2005 and should be successfully completed
by the end of April 14, 2005.
REAL ESTATE/COMMERICAL DEVELOPMENT
The Tribe expanded the original trust status land base of 9 acres with the purchase of 11 acres in
1985. This property was placed in trust status for the Rancheria in 1994.The Rancheria currently has
8 housing units, a new upgraded community water facility, and a upgraded roads system.
Additionally, new housing development is scheduled for 2006.
Recently, the Tribe purchased a 5 acre parcel and 16 acre parcel within _ mile of the Rancheria.
Further, in 2004, the Tribe purchased a 2 acre site within 20 miles of the Rancheria. The 2 acre site
is scheduled for the development of a health fitness facility to be open in late July 2006.
The following picture is a rendering of the Tribes proposed health fitness facility.