Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians facts for kids
 |
|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| approximately 800–1,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( California) |
|
| Languages | |
| English, Pomoan languages, Southern Pomo, Wappo | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Pomo people |
The Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians is a Native American tribe officially recognized by the United States government. They are part of the Pomo people, who are native people from California. Their home is a special area called a reservation, located near Geyserville, California in Sonoma County, California. On their reservation, they run the River Rock Casino Resort.
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History of the Dry Creek Pomo
The Pomo people are native to northern California. Long ago, they lived in about 21 separate communities. Each community spoke one of seven different Pomoan languages. The Dry Creek Band comes from the Mihilakawna and Makahmo Pomo groups.
Early Contact and Land Changes
Europeans first came into contact with the Pomo in the 1700s. These were mostly Russian fur trappers. In the 1800s, American gold prospectors and settlers arrived. They soon outnumbered the native populations.
In 1915, the U.S. government bought land for the "Dry Creek Rancheria." A rancheria is a piece of land set aside for Native American tribes. This land was in the Dry Creek Valley, which is now called Alexander Valley. It was good land for farming.
The government bought these lands so that Native Americans who didn't have a home could live there. They could live there without paying rent or taxes. No one was ever forced to live on a rancheria.
Tribe Reorganization and Growth
The tribe officially reorganized itself in 1972. This means they updated their rules for how the tribe would be governed. The U.S. government approved these new rules in 1973.
Later, the tribe's name was officially changed. It became the "Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians."
In 2002, the tribe opened the River Rock Casino on its reservation. The casino has a restaurant and bars.
Dry Creek Rancheria Lands
The tribe's reservation is called the Dry Creek Rancheria. It is located near Geyserville, California in Sonoma County, California. The reservation is about 75 acres (30 hectares) in size. This is a small part of the 86,400 acres (35,000 hectares) the tribe once owned. Much of their original land was covered by water when Lake Sonoma was created. This happened after the Warm Springs Dam was built.
The tribe also owns other land south of Petaluma, California. They had planned to put this land into a special federal trust. This would make it official tribal land. However, they paused this plan. In 2013, the tribe added a plan for a 60-room hotel on this land. The tribe's leaders have said they do not plan to build a casino there.
The Dry Creek Pomo tribe also conducts business in Geyserville and Healdsburg, California.
Tribal Membership and Leadership
Like many organizations, the tribe sometimes has disagreements about its leadership. In 2001 and 2010, there were discussions and efforts to change the Tribal Board of Directors. These issues were resolved within the tribe. After these times, the tribe worked to hold regular elections for its Board.
In 2010, the Board members included Harvey Hopkins as Chairman. Salvina Norris became Vice-Chair. Margie Rojes was Secretary/Treasurer. Marina Nojima and Jim Silva were Members at Large.
The number of people who are members of the Dry Creek Pomo tribe has been discussed. In 2009, there were about 970 enrolled members. Sometimes, tribal leadership reviews its membership rules. This can lead to discussions about who is considered a member.
Chris Wright is the current Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has served in this role since 2014. The other members of the Tribal Board of Directors are Betty Arterberry (Vice-Chairman), Margie Rojes (Secretary/Treasurer), Jim Silva (Member at Large), and Tieraney Giron (Member at Large).
