ABSTRACT
The Indian Reorganization Act, the termination policy, the relocation policy, and even the self-determination policy eroded tribal territorial and membership sovereignty to varying degrees. Tribes can regain sovereignty over their territory and members both by engaging with the federal government within the framework of European sovereignty and by strengthening their tribal governance within the framework of inherent indigenous sovereignty. Effective governance depends much more on the use of a tribe’s territory, the strength of its leadership, and the funding of its programs. The tribe began to lease its land to tribal members through a livestock program and used the lease income to fund a law and order program, a welfare program, and the tribal government. The establishment of tribal schools, buildings, and services in Agency Village created a place from which tribal identity and the tribal government could flourish.
