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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nNation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Native Americans managed themselves just fine in Pre-Columbian times. They may not have been organized in accordance with European governance but so what. They formed into sovereign and independent units as tribes, confederations and other arrangements. Many advocates for Native Americans maintain that this sovereignty continues to exist today, that the Nations exist as literal nations, even though a dominant power refuses to accept that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
State?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The United States government presents a confusing view. It says it recognizes tribal sovereignty but not on an international level. The interaction takes place primarily through the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs. The United States ceased forming treaties with the Native American nations in 1871 and granted citizenship to all members (those who had not already attained citizenship) in 1924. The Federal government views the Native Americans nations within its boundaries as integral but subordinate to the Federal government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The United States retains title to the reservation lands within its boundaries and holds it in trust on behalf of its Native American occupants. To them it forms just another parcel of U.S. government land like a military base or a national park, albeit with a special purpose. This land comprises more than 55 million acres held on behalf of 562 recognized tribal governments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Federal government allows Indian reservations to preserve a level of self-government. While a reservation forms part of the surrounding state(s) that it occupies territorially, it retains an exemption from state encroachments unless specified by Federal law. Thus, reservations do not generally pay state taxes. Tribal governments can also possess significant authorities including systems of laws with police power and courts to enforce them. Many of them levy taxes, license motor vehicles, provide social services and perform a wide variety of functions one would normally expect from a state. But they are not states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The interrelationship between the Native American nations and the various levels of government in the U.S. can be extremely complicated. The FAQ on the BIA website<\/a> does help sort out some of the more common issues from a U.S. Government perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One more level of complexity exists. This one fascinates me most of all because I have no idea how it might work in practice. Sometimes a reservation completely overlaps a county, ordinarily the third level of government. It doesn’t happen frequently. Counties in the eastern United States generally cover smaller areas, but settlers forced Native Americans from those areas primarily during the Colonial era. Many more reservations exist out west but few reservations can cover one of those huge counties completely. Thus, we need need to look towards the middle of the country, where Native Americans retained a foothold but where the counties still remain relatively compact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I found several. However, this may not be the complete list of county-reservation combos. A quick examination uncovered these first. Nonetheless, I’ll add more if I find them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCounty?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nMenominee County, Wisconsin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n