Becoming a tribal member strengthens your tribe by increasing the number of tribal citizens. Historically, many tribes suffered severely from policies designed to discourage tribal membership or affiliation, native languages, Indian religion, and tribal traditions. Many federal grants available to Tribes depend upon census and other population statistics identifying numbers of tribal members. The larger a tribe's citizenship, the greater potential it has for obtaining increased funding for services. As a descendent of American Indians, it is your civic duty to become involved in your tribe's activities, government, services, and traditions.
Individuals maintain tribal identity, shape their future and strengthen tribal sovereignty.
For example the federal Indian Child Welfare Act grants parents of an Indian child additional protections such as court appointed attorneys, notice to your Tribe, potential removal of child welfare cases to tribal court, and requires efforts to reunify Indian families and extended families. Tribal members can often use these courts to resolve disputes in Indian country. Tribal courts frequently provide a less expensive and more timely resolution to a legal problem. Oklahoma Indian Legal Services, Inc. provides a free Guide to Pro Se Form Pleadings Available in Tribal Courts, Seeking Native Justice. The federal government and individual Tribes have identified Indian education as a priority for sustaining tribal governments.