Wrestling Alligators

James Billie hunts alligators with his bare hands; he’s also a musician, soldier and poet. But most importantly, since 1979 he has been the charismatic leader of the Seminole Native American tribe of Florida. Since childhood, he has always been devoted to his people and concerned about their high rate of unemployment and limited prospects. So he ran for election and came up with a plan to bring prosperity to the Seminoles: gambling. In 1979, he opened the first high-stakes bingo parlor on an Indian reservation. By legalizing gaming, the Seminoles gained an income, and Billie became hugely popular both within and beyond the tribe. His personal charm and colorful personality have won him wide support throughout the United States. Archive footage of Billie in his youth and interviews with senior figures from inside and outside the Seminole community paint a portrait of a man who stands firmly with one foot in Native American history and the other in modern life.