Indigenous Governance Database
Environment and Natural Resources
A global assessment of Indigenous community engagement in climate research
For millennia Indigenous communities worldwide have maintained diverse knowledge systems informed through careful observation of dynamics of environmental changes. Although Indigenous communities and their knowledge systems are recognized as critical resources for understanding and adapting to…
Governor Stephen Roe Lewis Distinguished Tribal Leader Lecture
Governor Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community visited the University of Arizona to speak at January in Tucson: Distinguished Tribal Leader Lecture sponsored by the Native Nations Institute and held at the Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy program at James E. Rogers College of Law…
Rebecca Tsosie: Indigenous Sustainability and Resilience to Climate Extremes
The School of Geography & Development presented the “My Arizona” Lecture of Prof. Rebecca Tsosie, Regents Professor of Law at Univeristy of Arizona on Friday, November 1, 2019. Her lecture, "Indigenous Sustainability and Resilience to Climate Extremes: Traditional Knowledge and the Systems of…
Vernon Masayesva: Self-Governance and Protecting Water
Former Tribal Chairman of the Hopi Nation and Executive Director of Black Mesa Trust, Vernon Masayesva relays his thoughts about advocating for self-governance and protection of water rights for Indigenous people. His pursuits in holding accountability of mining in Hopi territory has made Vernon…
Daryle Rigney: Asserting Cultural Match and Native Nation Building in Australia
Daryle Rigney brings his expertise and first-hand experiences as a citizen of Ngarrindjeri Nation in South Australian to share his thoughts about Native Nation Building for the Ngarrindjeri Nation. He is a Professor of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement at College of Humanities Arts and Sciences at…
Water is Life video series Part 3 Mni Wiconi
The Native Nations Institute produced a three-part educational video series called, “Water is Life." The video series brings a Native nation building perspective to the conflict over the Dakota Access Pipeline and features interviews with LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, former tribal historic…
Water is Life video series Part 2 Oceti Sakowin
The Native Nations Institute produced a three-part educational video series called, “Water is Life." The video series brings a Native nation building perspective to the conflict over the Dakota Access Pipeline and features interviews with LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, former tribal historic…
Water is Life video series Part 1 The Lakota and Dakota People
The Native Nations Institute produced a three-part educational video series called, “Water is Life." The video series brings a Native nation building perspective to the conflict over the Dakota Access Pipeline and features interviews with LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, former tribal historic…
Preparing for the health impacts of climate change in Indigenous communities: The role of community-based adaptation
Climate change presents substantial risks to the health of Indigenous peoples. Research is needed to inform health policy and practice for managing risks, with community based adaptation (CBA) emerging as one approach to conducting research to support such efforts. Few, if any, studies however,…
Vernon Masayesva Keynote: Water Ethics Symposium
Vernon Masayesva (Hopi) is the Executive Director of Black Mesa Trust and leading advocate for protecting water resources for the Hopi Nation. He's a Hopi Leader of the Coyote Clan and former Chairman of the Hopi Tribal Council from the village of Hotevilla who has worked for decades on bringing…
Greg Cajete: Indigenous governance and sustainability
Greg Cajete, Tewa of the Santa Clara Pueblo and a renowned scholar and author on indigenous education serves as the Director of Native American Studies at the University of New Mexico. His works have merged native history, cultural practices, and knowledge into the cross section of education fields…
Ahwahsiin (The Land/Where We Get Our Food)
Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge and food systems are fast disappearing but are of the utmost importance, not only for sustaining Indigenous Peoples but also for providing alternative paradigms for coping with diverse ecosystems in a changing global environment. This research examines Blackfeet tribal…
Indigenous Land Management in the United States: Context, Cases, Lessons
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is seeking ways to support First Nations’ economic development. Among its concerns are the status and management of First Nations’ lands. The Indian Act, bureaucratic processes, the capacities of First Nations themselves, and other factors currently limit the…
Newtok Relocation Effort
Scientists and politicians spend hours debating the facts of climate change, but in many places damaging changes to the local environment are already a reality. In the past decade, more and more human settlements have been threatened by catastrophic flooding, wildfires, or drought caused by…
Reimagining Indigenous Health: Moving Beyond the Social Determinants of Health
Senior researcher Stephanie Carroll Rainie critiqued the application of social determinants of health models in Native communities and challenged readers to reconsider how they think about Indigenous health.
Beyond Health Care: Community, Governance, and Culture in the Health and Wellness of Native Nations. Project Summary
This project asked, "What actions can Native nations and organizations take outside the conventional healthcare system to improve the health and wellness of Native communities?" Three lines of inquiry emerged: DATA SOVEREIGNTY AND DATA GOVERNANCE Data availability and data quality issues limit…
Trust Resource Management (Salish and Kootenai)
For more than three decades, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) have been building capable governing institutions and taking over management of resources and programs previously managed by outsiders. Recognizing that self-management both allows the tribal government to determine its…
Water Quality Standards (Sandia)
Responding to the severe contamination of the Rio Grande River that threatens human health and ceremonial uses of the water, the Pueblo was awarded "treatment as state" status in 1990. Subsequently, the Pueblo developed and implemented US EPA approved water quality standards that give it control…
Gila River Indian Community Air Quality Program
In recent years, tribal governments in the United States have passed sophisticated laws and regulations to manage social and economic development in their communities. Although air quality is an important aspect of both economic growth and human health, very few Native nations have successfully…
Coast Salish Gathering
Ecosystems in many parts of North America are under severe stress. Pollution, the overuse of natural resources, and habitat destruction threaten local flora and fauna. Conservation attempts often fall short because they target one species of site within an ecosystem. The Coast Salish Gathering…