Professor on disenrollment, tribalism

Attorney and professor Christine Zuni Cruz talks about tribal enrollment and Obama's Inaugural Address:

University of Kansas Tribal Law ConferenceA member of the Isleta Pueblo, Zuni Cruz described ongoing internal conflicts about who is a member as “membership wars” akin to civil war. “There are casualties.”

Some of those casualties may be people who have been subject to changes in membership laws, or those whose identity may be further complicated by adoption or by tribal and racial intermarriage.

“For some people it’s about gaming, but it’s more nuanced. It’s not new, and it really didn’t begin with gaming.”

She also spoke of the inadequacies of tribal identity based on blood quantum. “It can’t capture completely who we are.”

Zuni Cruz said those with multi-Indian ancestry can be denied tribal status, while those with remote ancestry can be granted tribal status. She also said tribes with very broad membership laws run the risk of losing their identity. Conversely, tribes with very narrow laws run the risk of extinction.And:The title of her presentation, “’Who are you?’ Indigenous Identity and the Lines of Tribe,” was partly inspired by a line in Barack Obama’s inaugural address: “…the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve. …”

The words captured her attention. “I’m not sure that I like that,” she said. “It troubled me.”

Zuni Cruz rejects the idea that tribal existence is a primitive state. “That, in fact, has been disproved.”

“Tribes are ancient,” she said. “They’ve always been there, and they continue today.”Comment:  On the subject of disenrollment, we usually hear from disenrollees who say it's about greed and tribal leaders who say it isn't. This is one of the few times that a Native who doesn't belong to either group has stated a position.

Her claim that the reasons for disenrollment are "nuanced" reflects what I've heard from people. But she can say it with more authority than I can.

As for tribalism...again, Obama criticized tribalism in general--not some specific kind of it. He reiterated America's prejudice against "tribes," which represent a crude, backward, uncivilized form of organization.

Again, we Americans have communities, associations, and interest groups while "they" have tribes. Our conglomerations of people are noble and selfless while theirs are greedy and parochial.

Anyone who thinks this stereotype isn't relevant to America's 560-plus Indian tribes isn't thinking. I'm glad to see Professor Zuni Cruz gets it even if some people don't.