The National Indian Gaming Association gave longtime Coeur d’Alene tribal chairman Ernie Stensgar its Sovereignty Award at the Mid-Year Conference & Expo, held November 2-4 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
The award is given for “selfless dedication to advancing the lives of Indian peoples socially and economically, building self-sufficiency through gaming enterprises, and being an advocate for Indian self-determination.”
Stensgar told Indian Country Today Media Network, “I’m very honored and humbled to receive such a prestigious award. I find it difficult to receive this knowing Indian country and all the great leaders in Indian country. There’s probably people out there that have done more than I have that should have received this award.”
Stensgar was chairman of the Coeur d’Alene from 1986-2004 and has been vice chairman since 2007 and council member in the years between. He led the tribe when it won key political and legal battles relating to gaming, sovereignty, taxation and land, according to CTMN. He helped found NIGA in1985, served on the board of the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians and was its president and vice president and served as vice chairman of the National Congress of American Indians.
The current chairman, Chief Allan, said of Stensgar: “Ernie has been a tireless advocate for economic development for not just the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, but for all of Indian country. His efforts have created so many economic opportunities for our tribal people; we are incredibly proud of him.”
Joe Pakootas, former chairman of the Colville Tribe and current CEO for Nez Perce Tribal Enterprises, commented, “For Ernie the award is well deserved. He’s well respected in Indian country. I worked with him in the late ’90s and early 2000s. I attended many meetings and conferences with him and all other tribal leaders respected him greatly too.”
