(I’m listening to “The Dead Heart” by Midnight Oil)
If you are one of the nearly five million American Indians living in the United States, you have a new place to call home in Washington as of November 3. Coinciding with the White House Tribal Nations Conference, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) announced the opening of an embassy designed to give tribal sovereign nations a permanent base in the nation’s capital from which to monitor and lobby U.S. government activities that collectively affect them.
Most are familiar with the fact that the United States is governed through a federal system, with different powers allotted to the national government in Washington and to the various state governments. But tribal sovereignty is increasingly recognized as a third component of U.S. federalism because each nationally recognized tribe has a certain amount of autonomy from both Washington and the state. There’s a relatively new term out there for this, “tri-federalism,” which appears to be an evolving, if not a de facto description of how things are. (Political science fans might want to also check out this article.)
As a couple of my colleagues described it, American Indians are essentially dual citizens of the United States and their respective Tribal Nation.
NCAI describes the new embassy as “a home away from home for tribal leaders and representatives conducting business in Washington, D.C.,” which will “strengthen our coordination and multiply the positive aspects of advocacy work on critical issues facing Indian Country.”
That’s very important, as people like Alma Ransom of the Mohawk Bear Clan would argue, because there have been “budget cuts from past administrations and damaging inserts to bills on Capitol Hill, placed during ‘midnight meetings,’ that have harmed Native people.”
Want to learn more about Native Americans in the United States? America.gov is offering a special page this month to mark National American Indian Heritage Month.
After practicing law for a number of years, Michael Jay Friedman returned to school and earned a doctorate in U.S. political and diplomatic history. 
Michelle Austein Brooks is a U.S. government and politics writer who has covered three national elections for America.gov. 
Peggy B. Hu defied Asian-American stereotypes in college by studying comparative literature and international relations rather than math and science. 
Stephen Kaufman is an experienced writer who has covered the White House and the State Department, and continues to report on international and democracy issues, including press freedom. 
Tanya Brothen is a blogging enthusiast who began writing for the web on a whim. Now it’s her job.
Comments (3)
ocdermatology.com
November 22, 2009 at 21:11 EST
Permalink
I am of Indian descent and have learned from friends who work with various Indian tribes in the U.S., that they live without many of the conveniences we all take for granted. No electricity, no heat, no grocery stores and sub standard education. I am glad to hear there are thinge being done to protect the people who lived this land long before we arrived.
Eric James Wolf
Location: Yellow Springs, Ohio
November 24, 2009 at 00:50 EST
Permalink
I have worked with Native Peoples and supported Native Rights for a long time. There are some terrible examples of how the new tri-federal system is being gamed by criminal systems - you will have to look into that yourself.
For those of you who may not have been exposed to Native American History and the price paid by native people for this countries founding I would suggest this hour long audio interview with Tim Tingle on the Historical Truth of Native American Storytelling.
Bret Graham 888BAILMAN
November 26, 2009 at 14:56 EST
Permalink
I believe that any Tribe that has a “treaty” with the Federal Government is, in fact, a recognized sovereign state. Their sovereignty should be respected. Their customs and traditions should not be questioned and they should be left alone to govern themselves accordingly.