LYTTON RANCHERIA

OVERVIEW

Indian tribes have long been held to be distinct political communities. This inherent sovereignty of tribal governments is acknowledged in the United States Constitution, as well as treaties, legislation and judicial and administrative decisions.  Land is essential for tribes in order for them to function as governments.  Tribal trust lands are especially important to this advancement. Tribes need trust lands so that they can provide governmental services for their members, such as housing, health care, education, economic development, and in order to protect historic, cultural and religious ties to the land. 

 

The Indian Reorganization Act (“IRA”) recognized the need for tribes to have and govern their own lands to provide for the advancement and self‐support of their people. The legislative history of the IRA clearly shows the intent of Congress to address and ameliorate the extensive loss of land tribes had suffered.  Specifically, the IRA made a change in federal Indian policy which would “establish machinery whereby Indian tribes would be able to assume a greater degree of self‐government, both politically and economically.” This is done through growing their land bases.