Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the motion in Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation v. Mnuchin (D.D.C.):

3 Motion for TRO

Complaint here.

Tristan Ahtone Pulitzer Talk April 21

April 20, 2020April 20, 2020Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here: “Indigenous Lands and the Land-Grant University System: A Talks @ Pulitzer.”

The article is here.

NYTs Op/Ed on Navajo: “Nowhere Is Remote Anymore”

April 20, 2020Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Amusement of the Day (cont.) — 1977 BIA Phoenix Area Office Enrollment Manual Illustrations

April 20, 2020Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Yesterday, we covered tribal constitutions. Today, the political and bureaucratic complexity of enrollment decisions in cartoon form (we will conclude tomorrow):

Amusement of the Day — 1977 BIA Phoenix Area Office Enrollment Manual Illustrations

April 19, 2020April 19, 2020Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Apparently, in 1977 or so, the Phoenix Area Office decided to write a lengthy manual for tribal governments, instructing them on how to make enrollment decisions that met tribal constitutional muster. Suffice it to say the text is TL:DR, but the illustrations are awesome — and by awesome, I mean crazy — and by crazy, I mean Indian country crazy.

Tomorrow, how tribal governments make membership decisions….

NYTs: Land O’Lakes To Remove Indian Maiden Mascot/Logo from Its Butter

April 18, 2020Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is “Land O’Lakes Removes Native American Woman From Its Products.”

Harvard Law Review Profile of Native Hawaiian Land Restitution

April 18, 2020Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The Harvard Law Review has published Developments in the Law — “Aloha ‘Āina: Native Hawaiian Land Restitution.”

An excerpt:

Mauna Kea is just one recent case in Hawaiian history that betrays a restitution claim. This Chapter argues that the lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom unjustly enriched the United States when the Kingdom was overthrown, and that the State of Hawai‘i benefited from the same when it was admitted into the Union. The wealth accrued due to the possession of this land has continued to unjustly enrich these governments. Courts should recognize a restitution remedy for Native Hawaiians seeking their rights to these lands.