Definitions

Abstract This chapter defines four of the most frequently used terms in federal Indian law: Indian, Indian tribe, Indian country, and Indian title. It discusses who is an Indian, how a group becomes a federally recognized Indian tribe, what territory is Indian country, and how a tribe acquires Indian title to land. There is no single or universally accepted definition for any of these important terms. Many disputes have arisen, for instance, over who is an “Indian” and which group is an “Indian tribe.” Similarly, many lawsuits have been filed to determine whether an area of land is or is not “Indian country.” This chapter explains how each of these terms is used and the disputes surrounding them.