Davetta Geimausaddle

The Process of Revising the Kiowa Constitution Davetta Geimausaddle

The Kiowa people are frustrated with their tribal government. Much of that frustration derives from a Kiowa Constitution formulated from western ideals and practices which never experienced a revision since the 1930s. The structure was presented to the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache (KCA) designated leaders, as a corporate format to conduct business meetings. During this time, all proposed constitutions were rejected by the Kiowa leaders because of the corporate organization and the concerns of their reservation leases and permits. The Superintendent of Indian Affairs did not recognize the Kiowa Business Committee members who were only functioning as an advisory council. Instead, control of tribal affairs was given to the Superintendent or the Commissioner. The Wheeler-Howard Act (Indian Reorganization Act) policy presented a basic model of a corporate charter structure to the Kiowa leaders to operate as a local tribal business in land issues and adoption concerns. In 1970, the Kiowa government adopted this familiar structure to continue as a corporate organization instead of a tribal government. Several attempts to revise the current constitution have failed.