Indigenous Governance Database
Chickasaw Nation
McGirt and Rebuilding Tribal Nations Toolbox
The McGirt decision has changed the legal landscape and created new opportunities for tribal nations starting with the Five Tribes in Eastern Oklahoma and potentially for tribal nations across Indian Country. It also has been the source of confusion, hyperbole, and alarm among some commentators.…
Chickasaw Nation Constitution
Chickasaw Nation is located in Oklahoma with a population of 49,000 people. The constitution was enacted in 1983 and amended in 2002. Preamble: We, the people of the Chickasaw Nation, acknowledging with gratitude the grace and beneficence of God, in permitting us to make choice of our own form of…
Chickasaw Nation's Chuka Chukmasi Home Loan Program
Created in 1998 to increase home ownership among Chickasaw citizens and other Native Americans in Oklahoma, the Chuka Chukmasi ("beautiful home") Home Loan Program is a secondary market home loan program that has helped more than 200 families realize the dream of home ownership. Collaborating with…
Honoring Nations: Kay Perry: Chuka Chukmasi Home Loan Program
Kay Perry with the Chickasaw Nation's Housing Counseling and Loan Service program provides an overview of the Chuka Chukmasi Home Loan Program and how the program uses human and financial resources wisely.
Honoring Nations: Miriam Jorgensen: Using Your Human and Financial Resources Wisely
NNI Research Director Miriam Jorgensen kicks off the 2004 Honoring Nations symposium with a discussion focused on "Using Your Human and Financial Resources Wisely," In her presentation, she frames key issues and highlights the ways that successful tribal government programs have attracted talent,…
Honoring Nations: Jeannie Barbour: Chickasaw Press
Jeannie Barbour, creative director for the Chickasaw Nation, shares the history and success of the Chickasaw Press and discusses how it serves as a concrete expression of Chickasaw self-governance.
Chickasaw Nation: The Fight to Save a Dying Native American Language
A 50,000-year-old indigenous Native American tribe that has weathered the conquistadors, numerous wars with the Europeans, the American Revolution and the Civil War is now fighting to preserve its language and culture by embracing modern technology. There are 6,000 languages spoken in the world but…
Tribes Pushing Minimum Wage Higher
Though the minimum wage remains at $7.25 per hour for most Oklahomans, several tribal nations pay more or have boosted their entry-level wage above the federal level, a move that could cause the Oklahoma Legislature to take another look at the issue...
Citizen Stewards: Chickasaw Nation Technicians Monitor Water Quality
Regulations and laws about environmental quality abound, yet the Chickasaw Nation has little use for them. Its citizens do not need legislation to inform them that they are stewards of the land. It is, of course, an immutable fact of existence. And Chickasaw Nation Environmental Services technician…
Chickasaw Fishery Saves Endangered Species While Sustaining Fishermen and Tourism
Nothing elevates the hope and heart rate of an angler more than hearing that first predawn “ZWIIINNGGG” of a casting reel as fishing line slices through the early morning air and the lure plops into the water. Whether it’s the first or last day of the season, fishermen hope that is a dinner bell…
The Sustained Self-Sufficiency of the Five Civilized Tribes
Between 1820 and 1870, five Indian nations in the southeast adopted constitutions, engaged in for-profit cotton export, created tribal school systems, established courts, police, and remained economically and politically independent and self-sufficient. The five nations -- Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek…
Oklahoma City University Study Reveals Substantial Economic Impact of the Chickasaw Nation on Oklahoma's Economy
The contribution and impact of the Chickasaw Nation on the economy of Oklahoma exceeds $2.4 billion dollars according to an economic impact analysis released today by the Steven C. Agee Economic Research & Policy Institute at Oklahoma City University. The report, "Estimating the Oklahoma…
Survival of the Chickasaw Language
Chickasaw is an endangered language, but its chances of survival are much better thanks to the life's work of fluent speaker Catherine Willmond and linguist Pamela Munro. From beginners to conversational speakers, their books have become staples to students of the Chickasaw language everywhere.
Higher Education & Workforce Development: Leveraging Tribal Investments to Advance Community Goals
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Policy Research Center's 2010 Tribal Research Priorities Survey reported that education and economic development are top research priorities for tribes. Respondents noted their interest in research and resources regarding how to: (1) create jobs and…