Returning Tribal Government to Traditional Principles Appropriately for the Twenty First Century: The ongoing experience of the Navajo Nation

Abstract

Today, a great many Indian Nations are struggling to overcome inappropriate forms of government that were directly or indirectly imposed by the U.S. government. These alien modes of governance conflict with traditional tribal culture and values, causing ineffective governance, and contributing greatly to community disharmony.¹ Among the most interesting current attempts to improve tribal government, is the ongoing process of government development at Navajo Nation, which for some time has been working to reinculcate traditional values into its political institutions, in ways that are appropriate for the conditions of the current and unfolding era.