David Wilkins has published “Exiling One’s Kin: Banishment and Disenrollment in Indian Country” in Western Legal History. This excellent piece describes banishment and membership laws from traditional law through the early 20th century and into the modern era of tribal banishment and disenrollment.
3 thoughts on “David Wilkins on Tribal Disenrollment and Banishment”
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Turtle Talk 
There is an unique case of Discnrollment taking place in Oklahoma with a disenrolled Comanche Tribal member. I feel this case is special on many fronts and could change the course of action by Tribal leaders on voting to disenroll confirmed, Blood qualified Tribal member. As this case has a favorable ruling from the BIA on behalf of one Debbie K. Hendrix against the Comanche Nation Business Committee. You can read the BIA Findings by going to “comanchenationforum.” A court date has been set. This case has not been notice thus far, but I am confident Mrs. Hendrix will set a precedent on Disenrollment with her case.
There are a lot of tribes going through dis- enrollment. I know my tribe is going through the same and BIA is not helping at all, they are just making matters worse from my point of view. I am part of the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, which is located in Death Valley, California.
If it wasn’t for our old Tribal Council becoming greedy and BIA letting them. My tribe would be better off right now.
So yes I know what a lot of the tribes are going through.
June 14, 2010 Marks the tenth year of our dis-enrollment.
In the past ten years I have done extensive research on the subject of dis enrollment and many of the tribes have followed the example of the Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Tribe in California.
Family, Community, Tribe mean little to these trial leaders.
Their general reasons for the dis-enrollments have been:
Greed and the power to intimidate.
As time passes I see these “values” being passed down to their children. And less of the “Human” and more of the “being” is emerging.
I still have faith, that one day things will change and the tribal leaders will understand that Family is the foundation of any culture.