Disenrollment Disputes Flare Across Indian Country

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

disenrollment in indian tribes is becoming a common conflict in indian country and one scholar predicts that citizenship battles will continue to be waged.

the practice is sparking controversy, reducing tribal numbers and fueling lawsuits in tribes across the country. reasons for removing names from tribal rolls can be as varied as treaty rights, casino dividends or revised membership qualifications.

manley begay, a co-director of the harvard project on indian economic development, has been studying rebuilding of indian tribal economies for 20 years.

the navajo scholar agrees that the issue seems recurrent but insists that the phenomenon originated with federal overtures in the 1930s. defining citizenship began when a federal definitions dictate that indians have one-quarter of more of indian blood.

"on the surface, gaming money is an issue, but it's really about defining citizenship," he said. "we're in an era when tribes are asserting the old concept of sovereignty with new ideas."

california tribes are wracking up the most inter-tribal membership disputes. gaming revenues allocations are being blamed for the estimated 5,000 names of disenrolled california tribal members.

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