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Kaw Nation Main > Programs And Services

Tribal Enrollment

What is Tribal Enrollment? | How is membership determined? | What does membership entail? | How do I apply for membership? | How do I contact Tribal Enrollment? | How do I change my enrollment status?

What is Tribal Enrollment?

Members are to the Kaw Nation in much the same way as citizens are to other nations. Tribal Enrollment is the department that handles all aspects of membership, from maintaining vital records of old members and enrolling new ones to updating addresses and issuing new membership cards.

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How is membership determined?

Membership requirements are defined in Article I of the tribal Constitution. The primary requirement is a demonstrated line of ancestry from one or more individuals listed on the 1902 Kaw Indian Allotment Roll. However, there are some qualifications to this rule. For more details, please read the Constitutional excerpt below:

ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Qualifications. The members of the Kaw Nation shall include:

1. All persons enrolled as of the date of adoption of this constitution (JULY 31, 1990) as members of the Kaw Tribe of Oklahoma who met the membership requirements prescribed by the Tribe.
2. All Persons who are descendants by blood of an original Kaw Indian allottee or allottees whose name or names appear on the 1902 Kaw Indian Allotment Roll, except the following persons:
   1. Those persons otherwise entitled to enrollment who, as an adult, elect to be enrolled with another tribe.
   2. Those persons otherwise entitled to enrollment who, as an adult, have received any payments in land or money by virtue of having been previously enrolled with some other tribe.
3. No person, otherwise eligible for enrollment, shall be denied enrollment because they have purchased or received through inheritance land or property of another tribe or because they are considered by another tribe as a member of that tribe by virtue of their purchase or inheritance of such land or property or by the circumstances of their birth without affirmative application for membership by or on behalf of such person.

Section 2. Authority of the Executive Council. The Executive Council shall have the authority to establish by law:

1. The procedures for enrollment of persons eligible for membership pursuant to Section 1(b).
2. The procedures and requirements for the adoption of other persons as members of the Kaw Nation. Persons adopted into the Kaw Nation shall be recognized as honorary members and shall not have the right to vote, hold office or otherwise exercise the rights, benefits, or privileges of members enrolled under Section 1 of this article.
3. The procedure for disenrollment of a member of the Kaw Nation, Provided, That, a member may be disenrolled without his consent only for fraud in obtaining his enrollment.

Section 3. Judicial Review. A decision denying any person enrollment as a member of the Kaw Nation of disenrolling any member of the Kaw Nation without his consent shall be subject to judicial review in the courts of the Kaw Nation upon the filing of an appeal.

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What does membership entail?

Not only do members keep abreast of Kaw Nation affairs, they also have a say in them. All mentally competent tribal members above the age of 18 make up the General Council. Article II of the Constitution defines how this body participates in the decision making process and impacts tribal policy. This is achieved through regular voting, holding elected office, serving on tribal boards, as well as exercising popular initiative and referendum. In exchange, the Kaw Nation constitutionally guarantees its members certain rights and legal protections.

It is also the duty of members to inform Tribal Enrollment of any change in their enrollment status. This can be anything from a new address or telephone number to a name change due to marriage or divorce.

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How do I apply for membership?

The first step in the process is printing out an Enrollment Application. Fill it out and mail it (with all necessary attached documentation, including birth certificate) to the address on the form. Pending a positive review and verification process, you will be issued a tribal membership card and will begin receiving the quarterly newsletter, Kanza News.

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How do I contact Tribal Enrollment?

How do I change my enrollment status?

If for any reason you need to update your enrollment status due to a recent change, simply print out a Status Change Form, fill it out, and mail it back to the address found on the form.