About the book

In 1987, the year before Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, I came home to Hannahville. What followed was nearly 40 years inside tribal government and Indian gaming: the casino and bingo board, tribal council, Michigan’s gaming compact, and the housing authority.

A System Built by Tribal Members is my record of how gaming changed our community, how decisions moved away from the members who built the system, and what that cost.

What you’ll learn

• How Indian gaming reshaped tribal government
• How control drifts from members to administrators, quietly and on paper
• How credential rules replaced tribal preference in hiring
• What it takes to serve on a tribal board and protect the community
• What future leaders need to watch for

Who it’s for

• Hannahville tribal members who lived through the change from member-run government to a professionally managed one
• Tribal leaders: council members, board and committee members, and gaming commissioners, here and in other tribes
• Potawatomi Life readers: Native entrepreneurs and readers of the magazine
• Wider Native readers who follow Indian gaming, IGRA, and ICWA history

“Paper walls are invisible until you run into them.”

“Institutional drift doesn’t happen loudly. It happens quietly, procedurally, and permanently.”

Editions and prices

• Ebook (EPUB): $6.99 · ISBN 979-8-90858-303-9
• Paperback (6 x 9 in, 222 pages): $12.99 · ISBN 979-8-90858-301-5
• Hardcover (6 x 9 in, 222 pages): $24.99 · ISBN 979-8-90858-302-2

Shipping and handling are extra, plus tax if applicable.

For tribal boards and committees

The book goes with Potawatomi Life’s board training. Each training package includes a copy, and the leadership lessons in the book are used as discussion points for board and committee members.

About the author

Leroy Wandahsega II is a Potawatomi leader, tribal governance advisor, and founder of Potawatomi Life. He has spent more than three decades in tribal housing, gaming, compliance, and community advocacy.

Questions

When does it come out?
It’s available now. Sign up below to read Part I free.

Is it based on real events?
Yes. It’s a memoir drawn from lived experience and documents.

Can my department, school, or tribe order copies?
Yes. Contact us about group orders.

Can you speak to our community or board?
Yes. Readings and talks are available for community gatherings, boards, and committees. Contact us to set one up.