Tribal Territory, Sovereignty, and Governance

While tribal territory and sovereignty guide the approaches of tribal governments, their ability to govern depends on other factors, such as leadership and economic developments. Through historical and political geography, the author examines how the erosion of tribal territory has affected tribal sovereignty on the Cheyenne River and Lake Traverse Indian Reservations. In particular, the book analyzes the concept of Indian Character as used by the United States Supreme Court in deciding diminishment cases involving the two reservations. The Court concluded that the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation has maintained its Indian Character while the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation has not. On the basis of Indian Character, the Court determined that the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation was diminished, and therefore, that the exterior borders of the reservation no longer define the tribe’s territorial jurisdiction. Through a study of the approaches, organizational structure, and services of the two tribal governments, the author explores how the tribal governments have worked through the constraints of their eroded territory and sovereignty to provide effective leadership and