Relics of a Colonial Past: Tribal Government Institutions.
Tribal governments across America are very similar, not only in terms of the history, but also, and more importantly for tribal governments, how reservation institutions were structured from the beginning. Governments like Shoalwater Bay have inherited, originally by design, institutional organizations that have tended to cause division, inequity, and internal conflicts over scarce resources.
The motives for implementing the reservation system may have been diverse, the effects are unmistakable; as a result many tribal members have experienced various levels of despair, disempowerment, and some are locked in systemic poverty. Many people who make their homes on the reservation can also face a host of bottled up concerns including substance abuse and other difficulties that rarely go outside of the reservation.
In many Tribes this continues in the form of historical trauma from a bygone era. Today, this reality can serve as a type of tribal government excuse for what is happening within many reservations, it can also operate in ways that create understanding and new directions. In any case, the next generations can continue along the same lines, passing it on, especially if tribal governments continue with the status quo of what was inherited from a colonial past.
A note about the colonial past: America itself is part of a colonial past and has created a system that confronted the worst excesses, especially British colonial forms, and broke from that tradition in its laws, Constitution, and internal practices. Unfortunately, much like slavery was kept intact for many years despite the ideal that “all men are created equally,” British traditions of colonialism continued in various forms when it came to conquered peoples.
In the modern era, the aftermath of colonial practices are very similar on many of the poorest reservations to the life conditions of other formerly colonized peoples; especially economically and in terms of infrastructure, life expectancy, and other indicators. Also, reservations that are comparatively better off financially, have not escaped from the many other relics of a colonial past.
Peter Santenello: How is your government here, your tribal government? Crow, they were telling me how corrupt it was for them.
Roger White Eyes: Yeah, pretty much. Every reservation, all reservations. Basically what happens is you get the same people in year after year and all they do is help their families, you know. And it’s been that way, that was the problem in ’73 when they were fighting against our tribal president back then is any government funding that comes in goes directly to our tribal programs. They’re supposed to be helping the people, but the only ones that get help are the ones related to those that operate those programs.
Peter Santenello: So a lot of, a lot of nepotism.
Roger White Eyes: Nepotism, exactly. All over reservations in the whole of America.
Shoalwater Bay Community. 