INDIGENOUS SOVEREIGNTY

Understanding and Advocacy

Indigenous Sovereignty refers to the inherent right of Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native communities to govern themselves and manage their lands, resources, and cultural heritage. This concept is fundamental to the understanding and respect of Indigenous peoples' unique position in the history and contemporary society of the United States.

Approximately 476.6 million Indigenous people live across the world. Of these, more than 11.3 million are Indigenous to the present-day United States—a portion of the larger Turtle Island, land which has been known since colonization in the late 1400s as North and Central America. These Indigenous people from the present-day United States include 9.7 million people who identify as American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) and 1.6 million who identify as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI). Within the AIAN population, an estimated 92,000 people further identify as Taíno descendants from Puerto Rico. An additional 135,564 people identify as NHPI from the United States territories of  Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Indigenous Peoples in the United States existed prior to colonization and today are comprised of 574 federally recognized Tribal Nations, additional state-recognized Nations, and Nations who either lost federal recognition or have never been granted state or federal recognition and remain unrecognized.


Historical Context

The Roots of Sovereignty: Indigenous Sovereignty is deeply rooted in the historical and pre-colonial governance systems of Indigenous Peoples. Despite the significant changes brought about by colonization, these nations have continually fought for and maintained aspects of their sovereign rights.

Treaties and Agreements: A crucial aspect of understanding Indigenous Sovereignty involves the treaties and agreements made between Indigenous nations and the U.S. government. These legal documents, often overlooked or misunderstood, are central to comprehending the complex relationship between these nations and the federal government.

Understanding the Three Sovereigns: A Foundation of United States Governance

The United States Constitution establishes a complex yet coherent framework of governance built upon the principle of shared sovereignty. This structure delineates the powers and responsibilities among three distinct sovereign entities: the federal government, state governments, and Tribal nations. Each possesses inherent authority, operates with autonomy, and plays a critical role in the nation's collective governance, embodying a multifaceted approach to democracy and self-determination.

Tribal Nations: The Bearers of Indigenous Sovereignty

Distinctly, Tribal nations are recognized as sovereign entities, a status rooted in their pre-existing sovereignty prior to the formation of the United States. This recognition, upheld by treaties, federal laws, and judicial decisions, acknowledges Tribal nations as self-governing communities with the authority to regulate their internal affairs, maintain cultural and social practices, and engage with federal and state governments as distinct political entities. This tripartite relationship underscores the United States' commitment to honor the sovereignty and rights of Indigenous peoples, reflecting a deep respect for their history, culture, and contributions to the nation's fabric.

Contemporary Challenges

Today, Indigenous Sovereignty faces various challenges, including legal battles over land rights, cultural preservation, and resource management. These issues often arise from the continuation of the colonial project and the attempt to remove and dismantle Indigenous communities using the tools of federal or state policies.

The historical backdrop of Ohio is characterized by the Removal Era, a dark period when Indigenous Peoples were forcibly relocated westward to make way for settlers. This removal not only stripped our communities of our rightful ancestral lands but also fragmented our social structures, cultural practices, and governance systems. In Cincinnati, as in much of Ohio, the effects of removal resonate to this day, manifesting in challenges related to land rights, cultural heritage preservation, and the recognition of Tribal Nations' sovereignty. The city, like many others, was built upon lands that were once home to our vibrant Indigenous communities, including the Shawnee, Miamian, Chippewa, Lakota, and many other Tribal Nations, whose presence and rights were systematically erased over time.

Contemporary challenges in Ohio reflect the broader struggle for Indigenous Sovereignty and the assertion of Tribal Nations' rights within a framework that has historically marginalized these voices. Indigenous Peoples in Ohio today face obstacles in protecting and reclaiming cultural heritage, ensuring the education system accurately represents Indigenous history and perspectives, and securing meaningful consultation on issues affecting our communities. The legacy of removal has also complicated efforts to reestablish connections with our ancestral lands, foods, and medicines, as many Indigenous Peoples in Ohio seek to affirm our sovereignty in a landscape profoundly altered by historical injustices.

Moreover, the story of Indigenous Peoples in Cincinnati highlights the need for public recognition and commemoration of the many beautiful contributions of Tribal Nations to the region. Efforts to acknowledge this history, including the establishment of educational programs, are essential steps toward addressing the historical erasure and fostering a deeper understanding of the significance of Indigenous Sovereignty and Tribal Nations Sovereignty.

In confronting these challenges, it is crucial for policymakers, educators, and community leaders to engage with our local Indigenous Peoples in a spirit of respect, collaboration, and acknowledgment of past wrongs. Building a future that honors the sovereignty of Tribal Nations and the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Ohio and beyond requires a commitment to justice, equity, and the healing of historical wounds.

Advocacy and Empowerment: Addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts from Tribal Nations, allies, urban Native Peoples, and even policymakers. Advocacy is an essential tool in safeguarding Tribal sovereignty and promoting the rights and welfare of Indigenous communities. The Urban Native Collective is committed to raising awareness of these issues, supporting Indigenous leadership, and fostering collaboration to overcome the obstacles facing Tribal Nations and their authority over the lands in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana- where we serve the People.

By understanding the contemporary challenges to Tribal Nation Sovereignty, we can better advocate for policies and practices that respect and reinforce the autonomy of Tribal Nations, contributing to a just and equitable future for all Indigenous Peoples.

Statement of Advocacy

The Urban Native Collective stands in solidarity with Indigenous people exercising Indigenous sovereignty. We renounce military and police violence, and resource developmental projects that threaten Indigenous spaces. Indigenous People are the original holders and care takers of our world. Abuse of Indigenous rights and Indigenous people is impermissible. Any threat to Indigenous Lands is a threat to Indigenous People and Indigenous sovereignty.

In solidarity with Indigenous people, we hold: 

(1) Construction of resource developmental projects that threaten Indigenous sovereignty must cease immediately and all services associated with these projects be dismantled.

(2) That Indigenous Peoples have the right to free, prior and informed consent, which must be respected by their neighboring political states.

(3) That all levels of government, police, military, and private industry respect Indigenous sovereignty and jurisdiction, and refrain from using force to access Indigenous lands or remove Indigenous people. 

Resources

A significant part of supporting Indigenous Sovereignty involves learning and educating yourself on issues impacting Indigenous communities.

  1. Interactive Map

This Interactive Map Shows Which Indigenous Lands You Live On

In addition to the map, the website includes a teacher’s guide to creating a lesson about Indigenous land, as well as geotagged lists of Indigenous languages and treaties. Users can click on a language to see where it’s spoken, or on a treaty to examine the area involved in a particular “Indian Land Cession.” Cessions, or treaties, occurred when colonial settlers like the United States or Britain successfully offered money or goods to Native peoples in exchange for their territory. The practice, peacefully exploitative in the early colonization of North America, turned violent by the turn of the 19th century, when colonists began more violent campaigns to force Indigenous people from their ancestral land.

To encourage recognition of that long history of displacement, Native Land Digital also provides a guide to territory acknowledgements.

“Territory acknowledgement is a way that people insert an awareness of Indigenous presence and land rights in everyday life,” writes the nonprofit. “This is often done at the beginning of ceremonies, lectures or any public event. It can be a subtle way to recognize the history of colonialism and a need for change in settler colonial societies.”

Still, territory acknowledgements are complex; sometimes they “can easily be a token gesture rather than a meaningful practice,” they continue. The website presents a number of questions for reflection and suggests reaching out to nearby Indigenous communities directly.

2. Guide to Indigenous Sovereignty Laws:

A comprehensive guide explaining the legal aspects of Indigenous Sovereignty, including key legislation and landmark court cases.

The following resources link to research guides created by law libraries on the topic of federal American Indian law.

3. Indigenous Sovereignty Toolkit:

A resource for advocacy groups, educators, and individuals, providing practical tools and information on how to support and advocate for Indigenous Sovereignty.

COMING SOON

4. Cultural Heritage Reconnection Guide:

A guide focused on the efforts and methods of understanding your own Indigenous cultural heritage, including language, traditions, and practices.

COMING SOON

The Urban Native Collective’s Statement on Indigenous Identity

Here on Turtle Island (North America), there are many hundreds of distinct Nations, Tribes, Bands, and Collectives. Some are recognized by the Federal Government through treaties ancestors sacrificed and fought to protect, and some are not recognized for a variety of reasons. 

The greater Cincinnati region is home to at least 45 historic Tribes. Each Tribal entity possesses the sovereign right to determine who they claim as a citizen, who they are in kinship with, who is enrolled, and who is within their communities formally and informally.

Since time immemorial, Indigenous people have been healers; gentle and welcoming, and also community builders. We have suffered from the legacy of dispossession of our land, our children, our medicines, and our identities. The legacy of boarding schools, 60s scoop adoptions, “kill the Indian, save the man” policies, disenrollment, blood quantum, etc. have eroded our connection to one another and our feelings of self-worth in our identities as Native and Indigenous people.

If we listen to our Elders and our ancestors, and if we access the inherent knowledge that lives within each of us, then we can act in a way that is consistent with our teachings- and we will always leave a space to welcome back those who have been lost, our kin.

The Urban Native Collective (UNC) has heard many stories of people who have been searching for connection to their Indigeneity, their community, their kin and their true Nation. We have also heard stories of folks who have found their way home, reconnected, re-learned, and are now on a pathway toward healing their identity and these stories give us hope.

Colonization has taught us to say that we are not enough, or that we do not belong, or that we have no right to exist. There are people who cannot prove they are Native American but know that they belong and that there is a place waiting for them. The Urban Native Collective accept this process of connection and we commit the following:

  • UNC will not actively or passively stop the process of Tribal/Nation connection.

  • UNC will not participate in lateral violence.

  • UNC will not participate or contribute to identity policing.

  • UNC honors and respects those with Afro-Indigenous/ Black-Indigenous identities as whole, intact, and undivided from this land.

  • UNC does not claim to be an authority on who belongs and/or who does not belong to any Tribe/Nation/Community.

  • UNC honors Tribal sovereignty and self-determination.

  • UNC recognizes and represents people from Native American Indian and Indigenous communities who have survived intact as identifiable Tribes but are not federally recognized. Tribal existence does not depend on federal recognition, but recognition is necessary for government to government relations.

As Indigenous people, we view ourselves as both self + nature as part of an extended ecological family that shares ancestry and origins. We are the land. It is an awareness that life in any environment is viable only when humans view the life surrounding them as kin. These ancestral teachings are alive within us. These teachings from the ancestors of this land are foundational to our understanding of sovereignty.

The future is meant for us—for the Indigenous people. We are meant to know our songs, our languages, our plants, our medicines, our traditions, and our kin. We are meant to be in relationship with this land. We are meant to care for one another and to raise our children in security and safety with extended communities—many aunties and uncles. We are meant to work with our hearts, our spirits, and our hands to create good works. We are meant to live with the rhythm of the moon, the sun, and the waters that roam Turtle Island. We are meant to be a part of the seven generations that hears our ancestors speaking. We are meant to do more than just survive. We are meant to thrive. UNC is here to protect what is meant to be.

Do I have Indian Blood?

The answer is a little more Complex…

Q. Can one take a DNA test and claim a Native American status?

A. There are biological/genetic connections, yes, and also different cultural configurations including adoption/ intentional family-making, friendship, political camaraderie, who are a community and in Indigenous/ Native belonging. The simplest answer is that a Tribe claims you—you do not claim a Tribe in terms of enrollment and belonging. Each Nation has the sovereign right to make their own determination as to the status of who belongs on their rolls. Oftentimes, people without tribal enrollment status will identify as a descendant, a relative, or other forms of belonging. All valid. We suggest you build community as a first step in your journey home.

 

Q. What is kinship?

A. It is relationships. There is Indigenous knowledge of "making kin" including a shared identity and interactions between living and dead, nature and human. The kin, or relatives, include all the natural elements of an ecosystem. Indigenous people are affected by and, in turn, affect the life around them. Without human recognition of our role in the complexities of life in a place, the life suffers and loses its sustainability. Indigenous cultural models of nature include humans as one aspect of the complexity of life. Native Americans are diverse peoples with many different languages, cultures, forms of governance, and spiritual traditions and yet, all share this knowledge of kin. Learning and knowing how to be in relationship is important, as well as how to be a good relative, and how to acknowledge your kinship to a Tribal Nation and to the land.

 

Q. I know someone that doesn’t look Native American, but claims to be--Can I call them out?

A. Despite extensive diversity, there are societal assumptions that Native Americans are a monolithic group with significant commonalities in their features. Just look at the stereotypical “Indian mascots” or the other racist imagery. Unfortunately, these stereotypes lead to the expectation that Native Americans/ Indigenous people share certain commonalities related to their appearance; in particular skin color, hair texture, and phenotypical features. In reality, Native people are extraordinarily diverse in how they appear. It is important to not judge a person’s identity or belonging based on their skin color or physical appearance.

 How do I prove that I have Indian Blood?

well, let’s unpack that…

Q. What is an “Indian Card” or a “Status Card” and what is “enrolled”

A. The Bureau of Indian Affairs issues a document to Native people who are enrolled members of federally recognized Indian tribes, called a Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaska Native Blood (CDIB). This card is a legal document that grants dual citizenship and is a legal form of identification that can be used the same way as a passport, drivers license, etc. within the US and in several foreign countries. Not all Native Americans have an Indian Card.

Q. What is blood quantum? Am I “full blooded?”

A. Blood quantum was initially a system that the federal government placed onto tribes in an effort to limit their citizenship. Many Native Nations still use it as part of their citizenship requirements and many Nations require at least 25% “Indian blood” to be enrolled (see Indian Card). In essence, the quantum is a fraction of blood that is derived going back to the original enrollees of a Tribe who were counted on Census rolls, and then their blood quantum was documented, and usually those original enrollees had a “full blood” quantum. 

Blood Quantum did not exist with North American Indigenous society prior to 1934. It was created to assimilate the Native American and seize our remaining land by making it impossible to be an equal global nation through dissolving the citizenship of children generationally. It was first used by British in 1705 to determine who was human or not. Those deemed non-humans couldn't own property. The 1930s racist America applied it to all Native Americans so that over time, Indians would literally breed themselves out and rid the federal government of their legal duties to uphold treaty obligations and encouraged them to dismantle sovereignty.

Can someone be Black & Native?

yep.

Q. What about Black Native Identity?

A. Afro-Indigenous and Black Indigenous peoples face a myriad of issues including erasure of their identities, colorism, anti-Blackness in Indigenous communities, and a complex web of historical, cultural, social, and political influences. Many Tribal Nations here in Ohio and especially along the East Coast have members and kin of African ancestry. There have been entire tribes disenfranchised due to perceived African ancestry. Today, the ancestry industry will celebrate diversity and multiculturalism along the white spectrum, but at the same time, upholds the idea of purity and authenticity of Native blood or African blood. This idea of not belonging is painful—GCNAC honors and respects those with Afro-Indigenous/ Black-Indigenous identities as whole, intact, and undivided from this land.

Q. Should I say Indian, Indigenous, Native, Native American, Black Indigenous, Afro-Indigenous, First Nations or by your specific tribe?

A. Ideally, using a person’s preferred terminology and tribal affiliation is always best. 


Find the complete list of 574 Federally Recognized Tribal entities.

Find the complete list of Tribal Leaders Directory.