How many times have we as tribal members sat back and complained about the way the our tribe operates?
It’s a fact that the majority of American Indian tribal governments operate daily under a foreign system of government, otherwise known as the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act tribes. The IRA imposed a cookie-cutter template of a constitution on tribes around the country, a system that threw out traditional forms of governance and leadership. The result: Way too many tribes operate in daily disarray. The upside: A number of tribes around the country have recently been reforming their constitutions to provide more effective governance for their people.
That said, congratulations are in order for the Blackfeet Nation of Montana, which has created the Blackfeet Constitution Reform Committee. The tribe is beginning an active campaign to engage their tribal members to participate in the process. If tribal members want to improve the lives of their people, this is a great opportunity to get involved and be a part of the community discussion to reform the Blackfeet constitution.
Jodi Rave