Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians: Preamble Excerpt

We, the members of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan, in order to organize for our common good, to govern ourselves under our own laws, to maintain and foster our tribal culture, to protect our homeland, to conserve and develop our natural resources, and to insure our rights guaranteed by treaty with the federal government, do establish and adopt, as an incident of our sovereign powers, this Constitution for the government, protection, and common welfare of the Grand Traverse Band under the authority of the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934, (48 Stat. 984), as amended.