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- Why do constitutions matter?
- Do constitutions need to be written down?
- How did Native nations govern themselves prior to colonization?
- Did Native nations have constitutions before the European invasion?
- What were the effects of colonization on Indigenous constitutions?
- Where does our current constitution come from?
- Some rules exist outside written constitutions
- A groundswell of reform
- Innovation and diversity
- The big-picture questions our nation needs to ask…
- What is and isn’t working in our current governing system?
- How much change is needed?
- Are there traditions or practices that our Native nation wants to include?
- Who are we? What is our place in the world?
- What are our values and aspirations as a people?
- Who are the citizens of our nation?
- Who has responsibility for what?
- How do we make decisions?
- How do we make and enforce law?
- How do we resolve disputes?
- How do we choose our leaders and hold them accountable?
- How do we relate to other peoples and governments?
- How specific should our constitution be?
- Integrating core values, language, history
- Rethinking the collective “self” in self-government
- Giving the community a greater voice in governance
- Longer and staggered terms for those in leadership positions
- In the United States, removal of the Secretary of the Interior approval clause
- Civic education for the community
- A politically independent constitutional commission
- Broad-based citizen participation
- Flexibility on what gets considered when
- Accessible language
- Provision for amendment
- Formal approval
- Financial support for the process
- Time and patience
- Websites & blogs
- Small forums & meetings
- Newspaper articles & newsletters
- Constitutional conventions
- Youth engagement
- Social media
- Reorganizing government to support the new constitution
- Changing the nation’s political culture
- Ongoing civic education
- Interpreting the constitution
