Steven Newcomb: Freeing tribes from centuries of colonialism

Empires have colonies and colonial systems. The existence of the American Empire and its colonial system is demonstrated by the map’s phrase, “The First Colony of the United States,” namely, the Northwest Territory. The United States’ colonial system (the Northwest Ordinance), and U.S. colonial policy initially resulted in the founding of the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, all of which were founded on the basis of the invaded and appropriated lands, territories, and waters of free and independent Indian nations.

In the lead up to the U.S. Department of State meeting this fall with Indigenous representatives, there are two questions in particular that deserve attention: Does the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples provide the basis and means for liberating Indian nations and peoples and for decolonizing U.S. Indian law and policy? Does the U.N. Declaration provide the means of solving the fundamental problems faced by Indian nations, which are traced to the fact that the Indian laws and policies of the American Empire are premised on the political domination of our nations and peoples?