Indigenous Governance Database
IGD Database Search
Darrin Old Coyote: Reforming the Apsaalooke (Crow) Nation's Governing System: What Did We Do and Why Did We Do It?
Vice Secretary Darrin Old Coyote of the Crow Tribe's Executive Branch provides a brief history of the Crow Tribe's governance system, and explains the factors that prompted the Tribe to abandon its governance system in 2001 and replace it with a new constitution and system of government…
Herminia Frias: Engaging the Nation's Citizens and Effecting Change
Herminia Frias, former Chairwoman of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, discusses the citizen engagement challenges she encountered when she took office as an elected leader of her nation, and shares some effective strategies that she used to engage her constituents and mobilize their participation in and…
Honoring Nations: Rick Hill: Sovereignty Today
Former Oneida Nation Business Committee Chairman Rick Hill offers his perspectives on sovereignty today through the lens of the challenges facing his nation and the strategies theyr employing to achieve their nation-building goals.
Virgil Edwards: How Are We Going About Remaking Our Constitution?
Blackfeet Constitution Reform Committee Member Virgil Edwards discusses the process the Blackfeet Nation devised to reform its constitution, and describes how politics ultimately derailed the process before it could produce a new constitution for the Blackfeet people. This video resource is…
Honoring Nations: Pat Sweetsir: Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council
Middle Yukon Representative Pat Sweetsir of the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (YRITWC) discusses how and why the Indigenous nations living in the Yukon River Watershed decided to establish the YRITWC, and the positive impacts it is having on the health of the watershed and those who…
Honoring Nations: Sarah Hicks: NCAI and the Partnership for Tribal Governance
Former NCAI Policy Research Center Director Sarah Hicks discusses the growth of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and specifically its recent initiatives to support the nation-building and advocacy efforts of Native nations.
Honoring Nations: Gabriel Lopez and Shannon Martin: Government-to-Government Relations (Q&A)
Gabriel Lopez and Shannon Martin field questions from the audience about their nations' Honoring Nations award-winning programs.
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "The Politics-Enterprise Balance"
Native leaders and scholars share their thoughts about how Native nations can effectively manage the relationship between their governments and the businesses they own and operate.
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "What Do We Mean When We Say 'Constitutions'?"
Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development Co-Director Joseph P. Kalt provides a definition of 'constitutions' in the context of nation building.
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "What Strong, Independent and Legitimate Justice Systems Require"
Native leaders and scholars discuss what Native nations need to do to create strong, independent and culturally legimate justice systems.
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "Small Businesses and the Multiplier Effect"
NNI Executive Director Joan Timeche talks about the positive impact of citizen-owned businesses on reservation economies, not just in terms of economic development but in the overall quality of life for tribal citizens.
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "Remaking the Tools of Governance: What Can Native Nations Do?"
Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development Co-Director Stephen Cornell discusses the need for Native nations to reclaim and remake their tools of governance in order to meet the nation-building challenges they face today.
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "The Importance of Cultural Match"
Dr. Manley Begay provides an overview of cultural match, which the Native Nations Institute and the Harvard Project have identified as one of the five keys to successful Native nation building.
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "Giving the Justice System the Support It Needs"
Native leaders and scholars share some critical ways that Native nations can support their justice systems to ensure their effectiveness.
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "What Successful Intergovernmental Relationships Require"
Native leaders explain the importance of Native nations building their capacity to effectively engage in the development and maintenance of intergovernmental relationships with other sovereign governments, stressing that doing so is a critical component of the full exercise of tribal sovereignty.…
Brian Cladoosby: What I Wish I Knew Before I Took Office
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Chairman Brian Cladoosby provides insight into his 25-plus years of service as an elected leader of his nation, and offers up-and-coming Native leaders important bits of advice for being an effective leader.
Honoring Nations: Karen Diver: Sovereignty Today
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Chairwoman Karen Diver argues that for Native nations to aggressively assert their sovereignty in order to achieve their goals, they must develop capable governing institutions to put that sovereignty into practice.
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "Intergovernmental Relationships: Tools for Nation Building"
Native leaders discuss the ways that intergovernmental agreements serve as important nation-building tools for Native nations, strengthening their sovereignty and jurisdiction in the process.
Jerry Smith: Building and Sustaining Nation-Owned Enterprises (2009)
Laguna Development Corporation President and CEO Jerry Smith shares the lessons he has learned about building and sustaining Native nation-owned enterprises, in particular the critical step of creating a formal separation between tribal politics and the day-to-day management of those enterprises.
Rebecca Miles: What I Wish I Knew Before I Took Office
Nez Perce Tribe Executive Director Rebecca Miles discusses the challenges she faced as the first-ever chairwoman of the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, and the strategies she used in order to govern effectively and make informed decisions.