ABSTRACT
Decolonizing the US Constitution will lead to a constitution that prioritizes community, downplays the individual, expands participation, and thinks holistically about the needs of our societies for the good of all. This chapter proposes a path to decolonize the US Constitution, looking to indigenous traditions to learn about the importance of kinship, leadership traits, equality, restorative justice, and the traditional roles of nature. It analyzes the US Bill of Rights—looking specifically at ways that its language suggests an adversarial relationship between the government and citizens and ways that it may demonstrate cooperation. The majority of the amendments to the US Constitution either implies or overtly asserts an antagonistic relationship between citizens and the government. By looking to indigenous nations to envision a decolonized US Constitution, the chapter concludes with a glance at how life might be different for all within the US by integrating the traditions and practices of indigenous peoples.
