Second, the cultures and traditional beliefs of the many tribes vary significantly. Each has a unique set of creation stories, religious doctrines and sacred taboos. Finally, the nature of belonging to the extended family and tribe has posed obstacles for people with disabilities to acquiring government support services such as Medicaid. In general, most tribes are sovereign nations with legal authority and responsibility for their people and lands. Reservations There are approximately 275 Indian land areas in the United States administered as Indian reservations.
Tribal governments are as varied as the tribes, native villages and reservations they represent.
Most tribes were severely damaged by white conquest and indigenous systems of government fell to federal management. Many tribes were unnaturally grouped on reservations. And while the new constitutions, designed by the Federal government, were adopted by many tribes, many other tribes rejected the provisions of the IRA outright. The relationship of the various tribal governments to the government of the United States can be most simply understood as one based on negotiated treaties. Its major steps include identifying and developing key leaders to organize focus groups, seeking tribal authorization, holding Talking Circles, studying the status and needs of specific disability issues, developing policy and program recommendations, and promoting those recommendations through tribal channels.