TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs unanimously recognized six culture clubs as Native American tribes at its June 19 meeting.

The six groups recognized as Tennessee-based tribes are the United Eastern Lenape Nation of Winfield, Cherokee Wolf Clan of Yuma, Chickamauga Band of Tracy City, Central Band of Cherokee also known as Cherokee of Lawrence County, Remnant Yuchi Nation of Kingsport and Tanasi Council of Far Away Cherokee of Memphis.

“After the passing of more than two decades the Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs fulfilled its state mandated duty,” a TCIA press release states, “by providing official state legal recognition to Tennessee’s existing indigenous Indian tribes long disenfranchised by centuries of government Indian policies and politics.”

Six of the seven TCIA members present at the meeting voted to recognize the groups.

TCIA Chairwoman Tammera Hicks told the Cherokee Phoenix that the commission had no comment about approving the groups as tribes and forwarded the press release to the Phoenix.

According to a story on knoxnews.com, Mark Greene, a lobbyist hired by the Cherokee Nation to oppose recognition efforts by Tennessee culture clubs, said the “11th hour recognition” violated Tennessee laws and that CN officials are considering legal action.

Mike Miller, CN Communications officer, said the CN does not consider the groups recognized as tribes based on rules the Tennessee legislature gave the TCIA. He said the CN wants to examine how the state reacts to the TCIA’s actions before deciding how to respond.

The knoxnews.com story states bills to grant state recognition to groups have failed in the Tennessee Legislature. However, Hicks told the news source the statute creating the commission specifically gives the panel authority to act on recognition on its own.

Hicks told knoxnews.com the TCIA used an alternative procedure involving “standing rules,” as opposed to the special and specific rules that were the subject of legislative action to grant recognition.

According to knoxnews.com, the TCIA had earlier promulgated rules specifically granting tribal recognition to the groups, but Tennessee legislators in May postponed the effective date of those rules until after the TCIA ceases to exist on July 1. Lawmakers had also killed a bill that would have granted another year of life to the commission.

Greene, who attended the meeting, said the action bypassed legislative intent and violated Tennessee’s “Sunshine law,” which calls for meetings to be open and adequate notice be given of pending actions.

Greene said no notice of the pending move was given and that TCIA members had “worked everything out in advance.” He said commissioners had certificates already printed out denoting the recognition of the groups and a planned ceremony occurred at the end of the meeting.

He also said four TCIA members may have conflicts of interest because they are members of the newly-recognized Tennessee tribes.

Greene said Vice Chairwoman Christine Goddard belongs to the United Eastern Lenape Nation of Winfield, while Secretary James Meeks and member Charles Lawson belong to the Chickamauga Band of Tracy City. He added that member Alice Henry belongs to the Tanasi Council of Far Away Cherokee of Memphis.

Recognition of such groups as tribes on a state level makes members of the tribes eligible for grants, scholarships and assistance programs under federal law. State-recognized tribes may also market crafts and other goods as made by Native Americans.

The only three federally recognized Cherokee tribes are the CN and United Keetoowah Band, both located in Tahlequah, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in Cherokee, N.C.

Miller said it’s “silly” to think that tribal governments could “pop up overnight” and expect to have the same treaty rights and government relations as the CN, which has existed since time immemorial.

He said there are rooms for heritage groups that want to celebrate their Indian heritage, but they should not cross the line by petitioning to become a legitimate tribe.

Another TCIA meeting was scheduled for June 26 for the TCIA to possibly review and approve recognition of individuals as Native American Indians in Tennessee. – Senior Reporter Christina Good Voice contributed to this report.

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Published with permission from the Cherokee Phoenix.