Across the United States, a growing number of tribes are allowing same-sex marriage. And while some Native LGBTQ communities are still struggling with discrimination and violence, others are embracing their Two Spirit roles and traditions.
For many Native lesbians, coming out is a spiritual activism. They are fighting against a culture that often treats them as relics of the past.
Puyallup Tribe
The Puyallup Tribe of Indians has lived along the shores of the Puget Sound in Washington State for thousands of years. They are part of the Salish-speaking people who live in villages from the foothills of Mount Tacoma to the rivers and creeks.
The tribe has a strong heritage of generosity and welcoming behavior towards visitors who enter their lands. It is this quality that has made the Puyallup Tribe successful and continues to attract new members.
Today the Puyallup Tribe operates Emerald Queen Hotel & Casinos, Tahoma Market and Chinook Landing Marina. They are also working to expand their land base and develop human service programs for tribal and community members, as well as protect fishing, environmental, trade, and tribal rights.
In the 1980s, Puyallup members, government agencies and local governments agreed on a package of settlements to resolve long-standing land and water rights disputes. This package included $162 million in land, fisheries and economic development. It was a significant success for the Tribe and helped pave the way for future land claims settlements.
Osage Nation
The Osage Nation is a Native American tribe that is located in the United States. It is headquartered in Pawhuska, Oklahoma and claims over 10,000 members.
The government of the Osage Nation is divided into three branches: an executive, a judicial, and a legislative branch. The governmental structure parallels that of the United States.
As a result of its history, the Osage Nation has sued the United States in several court cases for mismanaging its trust funds and mineral estate. The courts have ruled that these lawsuits are valid.
In 1906, the Osage Nation was granted a claim to a portion of their reservation’s subsurface natural resources, including oil and gas. This claim was set to expire in 1926, but was extended for another 20 years.
A guardianship system was instituted in 1921 to protect their land, headrights and royalties. The guardians were white attorneys and businessmen, who had an incentive to commit corruption, if they could gain control of the Osage Nation’s wealth.
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe is a federally recognized tribe located on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in central South Dakota. The tribe is comprised of four Lakota bands: Minneconjou, No Bows, Sihasapa and Two Kettle (Oo’henumpa).
The tribe also has members on the Rosebud Indian Reservation and at Standing Rock in North Dakota. The tribe’s name, Cheyenne River, is derived from the Cheyenne River Agency, which was the tribal headquarters until it was moved below Lake Oahe in 1907.
In 1890, a United States cavalry massacre known as Wounded Knee led to the dislocation of many tribal peoples and caused them to move to other reservations. Today, surviving members of the Oglala Sioux, Standing Rock Sioux, and Rosebud Sioux are carrying on oral traditions about their experiences at Wounded Knee. They are also reclaiming a large number of ancestral burial sites across the country. These people are part of the larger movement to protect the land and water of the American West.
Sisseton Sioux Tribe
The Sisseton Sioux Tribe is a federally recognized tribe comprising two bands and two sub-divisions of the Isanti or Santee Dakota people located on the Lake Traverse Reservation in northeast South Dakota. The tribe was originally known as the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe until 1994.
Today the tribe is referred to as the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, a name that means “people or nation.” The tribe has an enrollment of approximately 13,000 members among seven district council communities.
The tribe holds regular tribal elections, with the Tribal Council Chairman serving as chief executive officer and administrative head of the tribe. The Council Chairman, vice-chairman and secretary/treasurer are elected to two-year terms. The Tribal Council is also responsible for enacting and implementing tribal bylaws.
