The first episode explores the historical underpinnings of tribal sovereignty, the evolution of tribal gaming and its effects on California's native peoples and their non-Indian neighbors.

The first episode explores the historical underpinnings of tribal sovereignty, the evolution of tribal gaming and its effects on California's native peoples and their non-Indian neighbors. In a few short years, American Indians in California went from being the poorest people in the state to some of the richest, gaining extraordinary wealth from gambling. They also emerged as one of the most powerful political lobbies in the state. This episode weighs the impact of gaming on Indian self-determination and explores the challenges native peoples face in defining their identity for the future.