Gila River governor praises Indian community progress

Patricia Biggs
The Arizona Republic, 7/7/04  

Richard P. Narcia is governor of the Gila River Indian Community, a 600-square-mile sovereign nation that borders Chandler, Ahwatukee Foothills and Gilbert. Narcia oversees a yearly operating budget of more than $100 million, which funds about 80 programs for the tribe's 17,000 enrolled members, made of two tribes, the Akimel O'odham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa).

The Akimel O'odham, whose name means "People of the River," traditionally were farmers. But in the early 20th century, much of the water from the Gila and Salt rivers was diverted. This month, after 30 years of wrangling over water rights, a historic water settlement awaits approval in the U.S. Senate.

Last month, the community celebrated 10 years of Indian gaming, money that has funded infrastructure improvements such as health care, educational scholarships, public safety and housing to the people living in the seven districts that make up the reservation. In a few months, two dialysis centers and a Diabetes Education and Resource Center will open. By next summer, a new government center will be complete.

Your inaugural ceremony on Jan. 3, 2003, blended traditional and modern dress, as well as O'odham and English. You said at the time it wouldn't be easy to merge the culture of the past with the thinking of the present. Have you been successful in reaching a balance between generations?

I've been working with the elderly quite extensively. District 5 needed help building its elderly facility. It's about ready to be completed. The focus on the elderly as well as the youths, that interaction may not be as quick as I had hoped, but it's getting there. With our youths, we need to remember where we came from and the only way to do that is through our elders.

Diabetes is a huge health problem for your community. What progress are you making against that disease?

We have tried to focus on what causes the diabetes: the changing of the lifestyles, diets, the fast foods. That's a real challenge. The perception with our young people, they'd rather go off the reservation, buy a hamburger than eat something healthy. Our diet contributes a lot to the state that we're in. Changing that lifestyle has been a major element in fighting that disease.

Is the community responding?

I think so. I think there's much more awareness of what's happening.

You have two dialysis centers nearing completion?

It's been a long time coming. The existing dialysis center is not meeting our needs. We had to shut down the old one for a while. The floor was caving in, the water was leaking. It was a mess over there. We did a major rehab but it was a Band-Aid. I know the patients are very anxious to move into the new building.

Why is the Arizona Water Settlements Act so important?

The ultimate objective of our community is to have gaming as a secondary resource. Our water settlement is going to be key in how we can develop. It's an economic thing but it's also a cultural thing. Historically, we're an agricultural society, all the way back to the Hohokam. We've been farmers for centuries. I guess it's in our blood. So water's very important to our people.

What's the status of the historic water settlement?

It's in the Senate Energy Committee right now. It's due to be marked up July 14.

What will that mean for the River People?

It will bring 653,500 acre feet of water a year. That'll mean that we can open up areas in our community that we've slated for agriculture. We intend to irrigate 146,000 acres of land here on the reservation.

In the southeast Valley, land that was farmland is going away. It seems like we're creating a huge need for agriculture nearby. Is that something you'll be stepping up to fill?

Yes, and that's the main idea. As an economic development tool, we feel that agriculture in the future is going to be very beneficial for our community. While the farming economy sometimes is kind of unstable, goes up and down a lot, with the urbanization of surrounding communities, we're going to be the only open area in southern Arizona. I think we could be the garden spot of southern Arizona.

How does the growth of the Valley, particularly Chandler and Ahwatukee, affect your community?

I think we've opened the door with the metro Phoenix area cities and towns to reach out to those communities, Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix, Tolleson. I think we can work together on the transportation, freeways, roads and things that are coming about; I think we can work together so it enhances both their needs and our needs.

When you mentioned freeways, are you talking specifically about the Pecos Road South Mountain Freeway talks?

That issue is kind of a sensitive issue with a district in our community that's impacted, District 6. They want to keep their area as pristine as possible. They're not in favor of the freeway. So until that resolves, it's not going to be in our community.

What are the community's development plans for the borderland?

We are in the process of updating the borderland plan. It's not complete yet. With all the potential for land use there in that area, all along the northern boundary, we needed to have an assessment of what could be. Hopefully, this will give us a better indication of what the highest and best use of the land will be.

Do you see it changing a lot from what they planned 10 years ago?

Right now that area is slated for agriculture. There are a lot of allottees there, landowners, and I think they're looking for more commercial development.

If District 6 wants to keep that area pristine, are they different from the people who want commercial development there?

I think some of the landowners would like to see that freeway go through. The district is pretty much the entity that when it comes to council, the council would view the wishes of the district. There's a resolution right now that states that the district is opposed to the freeway in District 6.

How are you using revenues from the casinos to help the community?

In 10 years, we've just begun to scratch the surface of decades of poverty and economic depression. We've made, in my mind, huge strides in raising the quality of life of our population. The Police Department has over 80 officers; 10 years ago it was a very small force. Our Fire Department is also a state-of-the-art fire department, in excess of 80 firemen. The equipment is all the latest equipment. The biggest priority is adequate housing for our community. If you drive around, you will see a lot of houses going up. It's a direct result of the use of the gaming revenues.


Pop Quiz puts topical questions to people in the news. Readers are invited to offer names of possible subjects for this feature and questions they should be asked. Write Opinions, The Arizona Republic, 106 E. Baseline Road, Mesa, AZ 85210, contact us at se.letters@arizonarepublic.com or fax us at (480) 516-0102.