sovereignty

Grand Ronde Community of Oregon Constitution

Year

Location: In Yamhill and Polk Counties, Oregon

Population: 5200

Date of Constitution: 2002

Key Facts: Terminated in 1956; restored in 1983

Topics
Citation

Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. 1984. "Constitution of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon." Grand Ronde, OR. 

Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Constitution

Year

Location: On the upper portion of the lower peninsula of Michigan

Population: 4102

Date of Constitution: 1988

Key Facts: One of the first casino tribes

Topics
Citation

Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. 1988. "Constitution of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians." Peshawbestown, MI. 

Douglas Indian Association Constitution

Year

Location: Alaska

Population: 600

Date of Constitution: 1941

Presamble: We, a group of Indians having a common bond of occupation in Arts and Crafts, and the Fishing Industry, including the catching, processing and sale of fish, and the building of fish boats and equipment, belonging to Douglas, Territory of Alaska, in order to promote our welfare through the development and operation of economics and social enterprises’, do establish this Constitution and By-laws in accordance with, and by authority of, the Act of Congress of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), as amended by the acts of June 15, 1935 (49 Stat. 378) , and May 1,1936 (49 Stat. 1250). 

Topics
Citation

Douglas Indian Association. 1941. "Constitution and By-Laws of the Douglas Indian Association Territory of Alaska." Juneau, AK.

Coquille Indian Tribe Constitution

Year

Location: Oregon

Population: 968

Date of Constitution: 1991, as amended 2008

Preamble: Our ancestors since the beginning of time have lived and died on the Coquille aboriginal lands and waters.  The Coquille Indian Tribe is and has always been a sovereign self-governing power dedicated to:  

1. Preservation of Coquille Indian Culture and Tribal Identity.

2. Promotion of social and economic welfare of Coquille Indians.  

3. Enhancement of our common resources.  

4. Maintenance of peace and order.  

5. Safeguard individual rights of tribal members.  

Our ancestors have passed on to us a sacred trust and obligation to maintain and safeguard these goals.  In recognition of this sacred responsibility, we, the members of the Coquille Indian Tribe, being a federally recognized Indian tribe pursuant to the Coquille Indian Restoration Act of June 28, 1989, 103 Stat. 91, hereby adopt this constitution in order to re-affirm our tribal government and to secure the rights and powers inherent in our sovereign status as guaranteed to us by federal and tribal laws.

Native Nations
Topics
Citation

Coquille Indian Tribe. 1991. "Constitution of Coquille Indian Tribe." North Bend, OR.

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon Constitution

Year

Location: Oregon

Population: 4800

Date of Constitution: 1979, as amended 1994 and 2008

Purposes: Oregon 4800 1979, as amended 1994 and 2008 We, the members of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon, being a federally recognized Indian tribe and the political successor in interest to certain bands and tribes of Indians who were signatories to treaties and other agreements with the United States of America, organized pursuant to the Act of November 18, 1977, 91 Stat. 1415, and the Act of June 18, 1934, 48 Stat. 984, hereby adopt this Constitution...

Topics
Citation

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon. 2009. "Constitution of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon." Siletz, OR.

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Constitution

Year

Location: Montana

Population: 7,000

Date of Constitution: 1935

Preamble: We, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Montana, in order to establish a more responsible organization, promote our general welfare, conserve and develop our lands and resources, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the power to exercise certain rights of self-government not inconsistent with Federal, State, and local laws, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Confederated Tribes of the Flathead Reservation. 

Topics
Citation

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. 1935. "Constitution and Bylaws of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Of the Flathead Reservation, as amended." Pablo, Montana.

Citizen Potawatomi Nation Constitution

Year

Citizen Potawatomi Nation is located in Oklahoma with a population of 29,000 people. The constitution was enacted in 1938 and amended in 1985 and 2007.

Preamble: We, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, sometimes designated as the Potawatomi Tribe of Oklahoma, in furtherance of our inherent powers of self-government in order to take advantage of the opportunities for economic independence and social advancement offered by the Thomas- Rogers Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of June 26, 1936, (49 Stat. 1976), do hereby adopt this Constitution pursuant to the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of June 26, 1936 (49 Stat. 1967) which shall supersede the constitution approved by the Secretary of the Interior on October 17, 1938, and ratified on December 12, 1938, and amended on September 27, 1956, December 27, I960, April 24, 1961, September 21, 1970, April 20, 1983, and April 8, 1996, with ratification.  

Native Nations
Topics
Citation

Citizen Potawatomi Nation. 2007. "Constitution of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation." Shawnee, OK.

Avery Denny: Origins of Navajo Leadership

Producer
Native Nations Institute
Year

Avery Denny is a member of Diné Medicine Man’s Association and is faculty at the Center for Diné Studies at Diné college Diné hatáli. As an instructor for over 29 years, he has taught courses on herbology, holistic healing, and Diné culture, oral history and philosophy.  Avery is a Diné hatáli, singer of the blessing way, beauty way, night way and enemy way, and has dedicated his life to retaining and teaching Diné Bizaad.  He offers stories about the origins of leadership for Diné and the power of learning language.

People
Native Nations
Resource Type
Citation

Native Nations Institute. "Avery Denny: Origins of Navajo Leadership."  Leading Native Nations, Native Nations Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, September 15, 2015

For a complete transcript, please email us: nni@email.arizona.edu

Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana Constitution

Year

The Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana is located in Southern Louisiana with a population of 950 people. The constitution was enacted in 1970 and amended in 2009 and 2010. 

Preamble: We, the Chitimacha Indians of Louisiana, desiring to establish an organization for our common welfare and benefit, do hereby adopt and proclaim the following constitution.  

Topics
Citation

Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana. 1970. "Constitution and By-Laws of the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana." Charenton, LA.

Chilkat Indian Village Constitution

Year

The Chilkat Indian Village is located in Southeastern Alaska with a population of 140 people. The constitution was enacted in 2006. The village was involved in a famous cultural property case about Whale House rain screen and totem poles.

Preamble: We, a sovereign community of Tlingit Indians having a common bond of residence in the Village of Klukwan, Alaska, in order to promote our welfare, through the development and operation of government, social, and economic enterprises, do establish this Constitution and By-laws in accordance with, and by authority of, the Act of Congress of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat.984), as amended.

Native Nations
Topics
Citation

Chilkat Indian Village. 2006. "Constitution of the Chilkat Indian Village." Klukwan, AK.