HISTORICAL Governance

The tribe is now governed by the language of its constitution, but historically, the tribe was led by chiefs elected by matrilineal ties and later by a clan-based governing body. “The Delaware political system that emerged in the mid-eighteenth century consisted of three clan chiefs who represented three matrilineal clans, the Wolf, Turkey, and Turtle clans. One clan chief acted as the first among equals and served as the Delaware spokesman.” (Goddard 1978:222; Weslager 1972:250). “Each clan chief was also attended by councilors and war captains of the same clan. War captains were responsible for declaring war and protecting the people, while only the clan chiefs could declare peace. The councilors served as personal advisers for each clan chief.” (Zeisberger 1910:98).

Despite removals, empty treaties, war and the influence of the Moravian missionaries, who traveled with the tribe and set up schools and churches, leadership positions in the tribe remained grounded in matrilineal clan ascendancy until the mid-1860s. (Weslager 1972:388). In 1866 the U.S. government signed one of its final treaties with the tribe, whereby members of the tribe agreed to give up their reservation in Kansas and move to a region within the Cherokee reservation lands in Oklahoma.

Unwilling to put faith in another promise from the US government, members of our tribe elected to remain in Kansas on the reservation that they shared with the Black Creek Swan River Chippewa by the terms of a treaty made July 16, 1859. Our tribe, also known at the time as the Munsee or Christian Indians, were united with these Chippewas and made joint owners of the reservation. Although the two tribes shared a reservation and were considered one tribe in their dealings with the United States government, they maintained their separate identities in cultural and religious practices.

Under the Dawes Act, the Chippewa-Christian Indian Reservation, as it was known in the 1859 treaty, was allotted to the individual members and descendants of the tribes in separate 160-acre plots. An explanation of the challenges faced by the Christian Indians in enforcing their land rights and eventually succumbing to pressure from squatters, unfair dealing and poverty and the eventual disposal of the Christian Indian land is provided here . In 1900, the final disbursement of federal funds was paid, and official recognition as a tribe was dissolved. Despite the dissolution, tribal members continued to be treated as Native Americans, children were schooled in Native American boarding schools and members received services from the government through the 1970’s.