An essential element of indigenous nations

Authors

David E. Wilkins, University of RichmondFollow

Abstract

“Every time we carry an eagle feather, that’s sovereignty. Every time we pick berries, that’s sovereignty. Every time we dig roots, that’s sovereignty.” Billy Frank, Jr., Nisqually Nation

The U.S. Supreme Court recently shifted judicial gears by reaffirming U.S. treaty obligations and Native sovereignty. What is Native sovereignty, why is it important, and how do Native Nations coexist with America’s federal system?

Recent studies by Paulette Steeves (Cree-Metis) and other scholars place Native peoples continuously in the Americas for at least 130,000 years. During those millennia, communities organized themselves in various ways, continuously exercising a set of powers we now call sovereignty.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2023

Publisher Statement

© 2024 Center for the Study of Federalism. All Rights Reserved.

Recommended Citation

Wilkins, D. E. (2023). Native sovereignty: An essential element of indigenous nations. Digest of Political Ideas and Issues for Teacher, Center for the Study of Federalism. https://federalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Native-Sovereignty-An-Essential-Element-of-Indigenous-Nations.pdf