Carol Berry observes in Indian Country Today that the Hopi constitution that respects the autonomy of each of the 12 villages contrasts with the Navajo system of a central government with chapters. While the Hopi have a tribal council, three of the villages maintain traditional self-governance rather than send delegates to a central government. To illustrate what that means, Berry notes that the Navajo maintain a central government with plenary authority over its chapter governments. When these chapters sought legislation that would have allowed them to prohibit unwanted mineral and energy leases, it was vetoed by the Navajo president.
The library is dedicated to the memory of Secwepemc Chief George Manuel (1921-1989), to the nations of the Fourth World and to the elders and generations to come.
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