Tribal Sovereignty American Indian Tribal Nations

Can we name the seven sovereign tribal nations within Montana’s borders?

Flathead Reservation: Salish Kootenai Pend d’Oreille Crow Reservation: Crow Fort Peck Reservation: Assiniboine Sioux Blackfeet Reservation: Blackfeet Northern Cheyenne Reservation: Northern Cheyenne Fort Belknap: Assiniboine Gros Ventre Rocky Boy’s Reservation: Chippewa Cree

Who governs Montana’s Indian reservations? Fill in your first box.

What is tribal sovereignty? Read definitions and create a word map

Montana Tribal Governments - Fast Facts Indian tribes govern themselves much the same way that states and local governments do, through a tribal council served by elected representatives. Executive authority is exercised by a tribal chairman or president. Indian tribes have court systems, varying from highly structured to simpler, part time courts. There is not always a separation of powers (legislative, judiciary and executive) Prior to confinement on the reservations, traditional governance in Indian tribes had certain common features: integration of political and the religious the importance of the tribe over the individual consensus decision making

Most modern tribal governments generally follow a western European model and originated in the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) of Reservations that are home to more than one tribe share one tribal government. Some tribal governments have constitutional provisions for shared representation. For example. on the Fort Belknap reservation, the candidates for chairman and vice chairman must run as a team, one being Assiniboine and the other, Gros Ventre. Tribal elections are conducted by secret ballot of tribal members. Elections are not partisan. The United States Constitution gives authority in Indian affairs to the federal government, not to the state governments. Tribal governments are not subservient to state governments.

Tribal governments define conditions of membership (ex ¼ blood quantum) prescribe rules for inheritance of property may levy taxes administer peace manage economic enterprise and natural resources develop tribal health and education programs maintain intergovernmental relations at the federal, state and local level The Bureau of Indian Affairs is a federal body responsible for land held in trust and providing public services (education, health, law and order etc) through contracts with the tribe or directly. Since 1972, many tribes have entered into self- government compacts with the federal government, thereby taking responsibility for programs formerly operated by the BIA.

Sovereign tribes operate under their own constitutions Excerpts from the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Constitutions

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Current Sovereignty Issues for small group work Issue: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Article: “Landmark Judgment Returns Remains to Tribe” by Cynthia Coleman Emery, Indian Country Today Cynthia Coleman Emery Issue: Language Revitalization Article: “Montana Offers a Boost to Language Immersion Programs” by Amy Martin, National Public Radio Issue: Land Rights and Indian Perspective on the Oregon Occupation “Native Americans ask Oregon Occupiers to Remember the Original ‘Owners’” by Molly Jackson, Christian Science Monitor remember-the-original-owners-video

Current Sovereignty Issues for small group work Issue: Economic Sovereignty CSKT acquisition of Energy Keepers (formerly Kerr) Dam. Speaks to economic sovereignty issues Issues: Opposition to Sovereignty/Citizens Equal Rights Alliance Article: “Anti Indian or Not” by Tom Bauer The Missoulian not-controversial-conference-on-tap-in-kalispell/article_9c b7d1-5ba2-97a9-0cf11fa9fa85.html not-controversial-conference-on-tap-in-kalispell/article_9c b7d1-5ba2-97a9-0cf11fa9fa85.html Citizens Equal Rights Alliance website Post about CERA’s activity in Western Montana by Institute for research and Education on Human Rights

Respond to articles on current issues Summarize the issue(s). How does this issue reflect the sovereign status of one or more tribes? Are there limitations to sovereignty evident is this situation? What questions are raised?

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"Montana Mosaic: Federal Indian Policy & Montana's First People"

Sources Montana Historical Society. “Montana Mosaic: Federal Indian Policy” Online video clip. YouTube. 25 Apr Web. 24 Feb Montana Indian Education Association. Fast Facts About Montana Tribal Governments Print. American Indians 101 Frequently Asked Questions Montana Tribal Histories: Educators Resource Guide by Julie Cajune (Chapter 3: Sovereignty) Other Links