Intertribal Life Newspaper -

TULSA, OK—Tribes across the nation have been exercising inherent governmental powers since the 1970s. Nowadays, tribal sovereignty and self-determination are considered a part of everyday business.

But, when did tribes start really using their governmental powers and who helped this government-to-government relationship develop?

He is best remembered for political spying during the Watergate scandals of the early 1970s, but U.S. President Richard M. Nixon and his administration played a key part in bringing about the era of Indian Self-Determination.

That’s according to panelists in a r...