Indigenous Governance Database
Governance
Tradition and Governance: Chief Richard Gamble
Chief Gamble of Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation says that tradition and spirituality are a way of life and might be captured in a constitution so that First Nations can develop laws that are based on traditional values. This would be a way to undo the Indian Act and make way for more traditional…
Tradition and Governance: Georjann Moresseau
Councilor Georjann Morreseau of Fort William First Nation talks about the challenges of teaching Fort William youth about traditions and governance.
Tradition and Governance: Ron Thomas
Ron Thomas from Haudenosaunee / Six Nations talks about Haudenosaunee traditional governance, and the challenges of removing the Indian Act and replacing it with more traditional governance.
Gitanyow Nation: Land Use Planning to Protect their Territories
Gitanyow citizens, a nation with a strong system of hereditary chiefs, talk about the impacts of development on their traditional lands and how their land use plan has helped protect their territories.
Miawpukek: Success Through Citizen Engagement
"We do have pride in ourselves." Miawpukek citizens talk about the importance of engaging citizens to overcome challenges and build a strong community.
Mi'gmaq Nation Listuguj
The Listuguj Mi'gmaq Listuguj Nation started a movement to protect their salmon fisheries involving protests, arrests, and eventually organizing to establish fishery laws in eastern Quebec. They formalized documents and laws to assert their jurisdiction that began at a grass-roots level in the…
Chief Oren Lyons Discusses Sovereignty
This is a short interview with Chief Oren Lyons on the issue of sovereignty that was filmed shortly after the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was passed.
NCFNG: Implementing Independent Governance
This video, taken from a 2008 conference hosted by the National Centre for First Nations Governance, provides some perspective on the question: How does a First Nation implement their right to self-governance?"
NCFNG: Governance and Cultural Match
Taken from a 2008 even hosted by the National Centre for First Nations Governance, this video looks at the question: "How does a First Nation match governance with their culture and traditions?"
MOU Membertou Circle of Governance
This short documentary looks at the Membertou First Nation and their efforts to get debt-free, attract development to their area, and eliminate government dependency.
IWCL Case Study: Membertou First Nation
This is a documentary produced by the Coady International Institute and is part of their "Indigenous Women in Community Leadership" series. The video is described on their website as follows: "The community of Membertou has come a long way to be crowned the "jewel of Cape Breton". Once a small and…
NCAI - Footprints into the Future - 68th Annual Convention and Marketplace in Portland, Oregon
The National Congress of American Indians, founded in 1944, is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities. NCAI has grown over the years from its modest beginnings of 100 people to…
2012 NCAI State of Indian Nations
Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) delivers the 2012 State of Indian Nations Address. The nationally webcast and radio address delivered just days after the 2012 State of the Union Address by President Obama, charts a path for tribes to play a vital role…
Native Report: Season 5: Episode 4
Come with us as we visit the Embassy of Tribal Nations in Washington, D.C., and talk with National Congress of American Indians President Jefferson Keel about its significance. We'll also meet Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Larry Echohawk about his first year in office. Then we'll sit down…
Native Report: Caricieri Decision
Native Report tackles the Caricieri Decision, a complex legal ruling that touches on issues of sovereignty, Indian gaming and the placement of tribal lands into “trust status.â€
Joseph P. Kalt: The Nation-Building Renaissance in Indian Country: Keys to Success
Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development Co-Director Joseph P. Kalt presents on the Native nation-building renaissance taking root across in Indian Country, and shares some stories of success.
Stephen Cornell: Two Approaches to Building Strong Native Nations
Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development Co-Director Stephen Cornell presents the research findings of the Harvard Project and the Native Nations Institute, specifically the two general approaches that Native nations pursue in an effort to achieve sustainable community and economic…
Melvin L. Sheldon: Refining Our United Vision
Melvin L. Sheldon, Chairman of the Tulalip Tribes, provides an overview of Tulalip's building of a sustainable, diversified economy, and discusses some of the important steps Tulalip took to create a commercial environment capable of supporting business success.
Indian Pride: Episode 102: Treaties & Sovereignty
Indian Pride, an American Indian cultural magazine television series, spotlights the diverse cultures of American Indian people throughout the country. This episode of Indian Pride features John Echohawk, Executive Director of the Native American Rights Fund, and focuses on understanding Indian…
Wolves Have A Constitution: Continuities in Indigenous Self-Government
This article is about constitutionalism as an Indigenous tradition. The political idea of constitutionalism is the idea that the process of governing is itself governed by a set of foundational laws or rules. There is ample evidence that Indigenous nations in North America–and in Australia and New…