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SEPTEMBER 11, 2000

Madeline Colliflower, a member of the Gros Ventre Tribe on the Fort Belknap Reservation in Montana, died at age 81 of natural causes.

In 1965, Colliflower challenged a decision handed down by her tribal government, raising questions on jurisdiction and civil rights in Indian Country. The chain of events set into place by Colliflower eventually lead to the Indian Civil Rights Act (ICRA) of 1968.

ICRA imposes on tribal governments many of the same provisions of the Bill of Rights of the US Constitution, such as the right to a speedy trial and to due process. But it allows tribes to interpret and apply them according to tribal values.

It also doesn't impose a separation of church and state upon tribes. Some tribes, like Pueblos in New Mexico, still govern by theocratic and cultural practices.

Get the Story:
Gros Ventre activist dies at 81 (AP 9/9)

Relevant Links:
The Official Guide to the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation - www.fortbelknap.com