Now it’s getting tight. We’re down to the last 16.
Category 1 — Indian nations
#1 Alaska Native tribes v. #12 Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin
Alaska Native tribes once again won handily, earning 86 percent of the votes over the Omaha Tribe. The Wisconsin Oneidas continue to surprise, knocking off the Cayugas and their impressive Second Circuit tax victory with two-thirds of the vote.
Interesting matchup here, with two contenders that had a big year facing off against state and local governments.
#7 Gun Lake Tribe v.#3 Bay Mills Indian Community
Enrollment numbers don’t matter! The Gun Lakers earn 61 percent of the vote and take out the Sault Tribe and its vast membership. It can’t be that there’s no internet in the UP, right?
Well, the internet worked for Bay Mills, winning by one vote over LCO and the Wisconsin treaty tribes. Bay Mills makes a living winning by one vote.
So another ‘Nish matchup. Will Gun Lake be able to get past another Upper Peninsula Chippewa community?
Category 2 — Laws, Doctrines, and the Like
#1 Indian Child Welfare Act v. #5 Intra-tribal disputes
In the battle for Indian civil rights, nonvoters prevailed over voters, and ICWA moves on with 57 percent of the vote. Maybe that TT post on South Dakota came a day too late.
Well, intra-tribal disputes took down Indian gaming, with 58 percent of the vote. I hope that won’t be true in real life.
#2 Tribal sovereign immunity v. #3 VAWA
With 72 percent of the vote, it turns out sovereignty does predate knowledge of sovereignty. Cool, I guess.
VAWA and the hopes it encourages for tribal governance in the future (as well as its 67 percent vote tally) easily defeated tribal court exhaustion, which wilted with fatigue near the end.
Turtle Talk 