How is the Tuscarora Indian nation organized?
The Tuscarora nation had a tribal council chosen by the Tuscarora clan mothers (matriarchs, or female leaders.) After they joined the Iroquois League, the Tuscarora people were also subject to the decisions made by the Iroquois Great Council. This is similar to American states which each have their own government, but are all subject to the US government. In fact, the Iroquois Confederacy was one of the examples of representative democracy used as a model by America’s founding fathers. Today the Tuscarora tribe lives on a reservation in New York. A reservation is special land that belongs to an Indian tribe and is under their control. The Tuscarora Indian tribe has its own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. In fact, they still have a traditional tribal council of chiefs who are elected by Tuscarora clan mothers. But the Tuscaroras are also US citizens and must obey American law. Other Tuscarora people live on the Six Nations Reserve in Canada, which they
