Yavapai-Prescott Tribe

Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe

Flag of the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe
Total population
under 200
Regions with significant populations
Languages
Yavapai, English
Religion
Indigenous religion, Christianity
Related ethnic groups
other Yavapai people

The Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe, formerly known as the Yavapai-Prescott Tribe of the Yavapai Reservation, a federally recognized tribe of Yavapai people.[1] Fewer than 200 people are enrolled in the tribe.

Reservation

The Yavapai reservation is approximately 1,413 acres (5.72 km2) in central Yavapai County in west-central Arizona. In the early 1930s, Sam Jimulla and his wife Viola Jimulla, with community support, pushed the government to provide reservation lands for the tribe, as they had been unable to secure federal funds for a housing project. In 1935, 75 acres of the former Fort Whipple, Arizona were set aside as a reservation. Continued pressure from the tribe resulted in an additional 1320 acres being conferred on the tribe in 1956. [2]

Government

Simultaneously with the creation of a reservation, the government pressed for the Prescott Yavapai to accept the terms of the Indian Reorganization Act,[2] but the tribe rejected the move away from a hereditary chief and confirmed the commissioner of Indian Affairs choice of Jimulla as their tribal leader. When Jimulla died in 1940, he was succeeded by his wife, though a tribal council was established.[3] Don Mitchell, husband of Jimulla's daughter Grace, served as Chair of the tribal council from 1940 to 1948 and then tribal president from 1948 to 1972,[4][5] though Viola served as Chieftess until her death. Grace Mitchell succeeded her parents as chieftess in 1967 and[2][3] in 1972, Jimulla's granddaughter Patricia Ann McGee became tribal president.[4] Upon Mitchell's death in 1976, the tribe conferred the title of chieftess upon Jimulla's other surviving daughter, Lucy Miller, and reconfirmed the dual governance system by retaining McGee as tribal president.[6][7]

Following Miller's 1984 death[8] the tribal leadership was solely vested in the council and the tribal president. McGee retained the post until 1988, when she was ousted for two years by Stanhope "Stan" Rice, Jr. She regained leadership in 1990 and served until her death.[9][10] Rice regained the presidency in 1994 and held the position until his ouster in 2001. He was succeeded by Ernest Jones, Sr.[4] The tribe is headquartered in Prescott, Arizona.[1]

Economic development

The tribe has a shopping center, two casinos, and a hotel where the reservation abuts State Highway 69 at Prescott, Arizona. A business park is on the reservation off State Highway 89 north of Prescott. The 2000 census reported a resident population of 182 persons on the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Reservation, 117 of whom were of solely Native American heritage.

On March 27, 2014, the tribe announced plans to build a new casino on the corner of Yavpe Connector and Highway 69 in Prescott. The new casino will replace the existing two casinos (Yavapai and Bucky's) and feature 50,000 square feet of gaming floor, which is twice as big as the two current casinos combined, multiple restaurants, a venue for small events and concerts and more. Construction is scheduled to start toward the end of 2014 and be complete by the end of 2016.

Services

Law enforcement services are provided by the Yavapai-Prescott Tribal Police Department.

Notable tribal members

See also

Citations

  1. 1 2 "Tribal Directory." National Congress of American Indians. Accessed 6 March 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Ortiz, Alfonso, ed. (1983). Handbook of North American Indians. Southwest. 10. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office. pp. 44–45. ISBN 978-0-16-004579-0.
  3. 1 2 Bataille, Gretchen M.; Lisa, Laurie (2003). Native American Women: A Biographical Dictionary. New York: Routledge. p. 155. ISBN 978-1-135-95587-8.
  4. 1 2 3 "Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe". World Statesmen. Archived from the original on July 9, 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  5. ↑ Wilson, Pat (March 30, 2010). "Don S. Mitchell". Arizona Gravestones. Arizona Obituary Archive. Archived from the original on July 25, 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "Lucy Miller is chieftess". Prescott, Arizona: The Prescott Courier . July 11, 1976. Archived from the original on July 25, 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  7. ↑ "Yavapai Tribal Chieftess Lucy Miller". Prescott, Arizona: The Prescott Courier. July 18, 1976. Archived from the original on July 25, 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  8. ↑ "Yavapai-Prescott Chieftess Lucy Miller has died at age 78". Prescott, Arizona: The Daily Courier. September 13, 1984. p. 1. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  9. ↑ Dodder, Joanna (December 24, 2001). "Lawsuit over bloodlines threatens unity of Yavapai-Prescott tribe". Prescott, Arizona: The Daily Courier. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  10. ↑ Dodder, Joanna (November 9, 2001). "Tribal members seek to oust Rice". Prescott, Arizona: The Daily Courier. Archived from the original on July 25, 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.

References

Coordinates: 34°33′02″N 112°26′06″W / 34.55056°N 112.43500°W / 34.55056; -112.43500

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