From 1998 through 2013, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs sought to develop a casino in Cascade Locks, Oregon. This prompted objections from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, who already operated a lucrative casino in the region. Brook Colley's in-depth case study unravels the history of this disagreement and challenges the way conventional media characterizes intertribal casino disputes in terms of corruption and greed. Instead, she locates these conflicts within historical, social, and political contexts of colonization.
Through extensive interviews, Colley brings to the forefront Indigenous perspectives on intertribal conflict related to tribal gaming. She reveals how casino economies affect the relationship between gaming tribes and federal and state governments, and the repercussions for the tribes themselves. Ultimately, Colley's engaging examination explores strategies for reconciliation and cooperation, emphasizing narratives of resilience and tribal sovereignty.

Brook Colley is an assistant professor and chair of the Native American studies program at Southern Oregon University. This is her first book.

Brook Colley's profile page

David G. Lewis' profile page

Coll Thrush is professor of history at the University of British Columbia. He is the author of two books: Native Seattle: Histories from the Crossing-Over Place (University of Washington Press, 2007), and Indigenous London: Native Travelers at the Heart of Empire (Yale, 2016). He is also the coeditor of Phantom Past, Indigenous Presence: Native Ghosts in North American Culture and History (University of Nebraska Press, 2011). He serves as a series editor for the University of Washington Press's Indigenous Confluences series.

Coll Thrush's profile page

Charlotte Coté is a professor in American Indian Studies at the University of Washington. She is the author of Spirits of Our Whaling Ancestors: Revitalizing Makah and Nuu-chah-nulth Traditions (University of Washington Press, 2010).

Charlotte Coté's profile page

"Readers will close the book with new appreciation for the transformative potential?disempowering and liberatory alike?of casino-era relations. The empirical and programmatic force of this book affirms that, indeed, there is “power in the telling.?"

NAIS Journal

"Power in the Telling is a unique contribution to Native American studies, and its audience includes not just scholars and students in this field but also Native communities and their allies. . . . By moving from scholarly analysis to concrete recommendations, Power in the Telling provides Native nations with incisive strategies for working together in pursuit of revitalization."

H-AmIndian