Real-Life Decision Making
A native tribe was terminated under the assimilation and termination policies of the government in the last century. However, since this dark moment in history, the tribe has since been recognized and given back a portion of its original land holdings.
But even though its tribal status was reinstated, the tribe still faces a huge problem. During the assimilation policy, many tribe members were enticed away from the community to work, while others intermarried with those in the area.
How is the tribe going to build up its tribal membership again, and how does it decide who is a tribal member and who is not?
"The issue about blood quantum was one of the hardest decisions ever made by the tribal council," says Brent Merrill. He is the public information coordinator for a tribe.
At first, when the tribe was trying to re-establish itself, the council decided that proving descendancy from anyone in the tribe was enough to become a full-fledged tribal member. Proving descendancy meant that people with as little as 1/32 native blood were becoming members of the tribe. Many people have joined the tribe since that time. "Our numbers have now grown to 5,000 people," says Merrill.
If the number of people wanting to become tribal members continues to swell, will the tribe be able to pay for all the health care, housing and education benefits that they promise to give each of their members? Is it time to further limit who can become a tribal member?
What do you and the tribal council do?