Submitted on: 22.06.2017

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Legal Pluralism: Library of Congress’ Indigenous Law Portal

Carla Davis-Castro

Law Library, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., United States.

E-mail address: cdavi@loc.gov

Abstract: A new classification schedule is being written, Law of the Indigenous Peoples in the Americas (Class

KI-KIX), providing subject access to indigenous peoples, councils, legal documents, and

organizations. In 2014, the Library of Congress launched the Indigenous Law Portal, an open-access

platform extending subject access to online users around the world. To date, North and Central

America are complete. The challenges are myriad: multilingual names with many variations, large

communities living in one or more countries, councils that are difficult to identify if not externally

recognized, the absence of primary source documents online, as well as research and advocacy

organizations that may support or operate in place of externally-recognized governments. Though not

without limitations, the schedule and Portal are providing subject access to hundreds of indigenous

communities and their legal materials.

Keywords: indigenous peoples, law, open access, online research

1 INTRODUCTION

The Law Librarian of Congress Jane Sanchez stated that the global collections and legal

analyses of the Law Library of Congress promote peace and democracy. Both ancient and

vibrant, indigenous legal systems have functioned continuously for centuries though

frequently overlooked. Situating indigenous law in relation to yet apart from the national law

of nation states is the concern of Dr. Jolande Goldberg of the Library of Congress’ Policy and

Standards Division. Her new classification system, Law of the Indigenous Peoples in the

Americas Classes KIA-KIX, parallels Western legal classification. The Law Library of

Congress hosts the Indigenous Law Portal, an open access website that amplifies the subject

access provided by the classification.1 This multi-faceted, collaborative work demonstrates

democratic solidarity, or support, by creating space for indigenous law alongside other legal

systems.

This paper covers how the indigenous law classification provides subject access to four areas:

1. Indigenous peoples

2. Indigenous councils or governments

3. Primary documents such as treaties and codes

4. Research institutes and advocacy organizations

Researchers investigate indigenous communities in each region, how they govern themselves,

and what organizations are providing legal aid and training in support of indigenous rights.

Complex histories create myriad challenges for subject access.

1 Law Library of Congress. (2017, March 17). Indigenous Law Portal. Retrieved from:

http://www.loc.gov/law/help/indigenous-law-guide/index.php.

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2 MULTILINGUAL NAMES

History, politics, and language are intertwined in the names of indigenous peoples, their

territories, and their councils. By default, access is multilingual including numerous European

and indigenous words that are often mixed in a single name. A brief list shows the diverse

entities that now have name authority records and a place in the indigenous law classification.

Screenshot of the website of the Bande des Innus de Pessamit

• Bande des Innus de Pessamit also called Betsiamites First Nation—Canada,

community and territory

• Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan—United States,

community and territory

• San Pedro Town (Indigenous community)—Belize

• Boqol Q'esal Tenam de Naab'a—Guatemala, council

• Alcaldía Comunal de Izalco—El Salvador, council

• Consejo de Ancianos Laka Iwi Indianka Nani Asla Takanka LAINASTA—

Honduras, territorial council

• Doce Comunidades Indigenas y Afrodescendientes de La Cuenca de Laguna de

Perlas (Indigenous territory)—Nicaragua

The first example from Canada has French and English versions of its name and shown above

is the tribal website in French with Innu words sprinkled throughout. 2 The second tribe lives

in the United States with a French reservation place name and an English website shown

below. 3 The next is a Garifuna community with a mixed location name in Spanish and

2 Conseil des Innus de Pessamit. (2017). Communauté: Culture. Retrieved from:

http://www.pessamit.ca/communaute/culture. 3 MHA Nation. (2013). Homepage. Retrieved from http://www.mhanation.com/.

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English in a predominantly English-speaking country.4 The subsequent council sometimes

uses its Maya Ixil name5 and sometimes the Spanish translation, Alcaldía Indígena de Nebaj,

with a Hispanicized form of the community name. 6 Mixing Spanish and Miskitu in the

official name, LAINASTA is the common acronym which functions in any language.7 Lastly,

a Spanish name describes a mixed community of Miskitu and African Diaspora peoples who

share a territory and speak Miskitu and English Creole.8

The multifaceted reality of names colors the entire endeavor of organizing access to

indigenous law. Names are a metaphor for the complex historical processes that shaped the

Western Hemisphere and continue to do so. Solidarity in divergence means not

oversimplifying access but accounting for indigenous names in whatever form they take.

4National Garifuna Council of Belize. Who We Are. (2017, May 23). Retrieved from:

http://ngcbelize.org/the-council/who-we-are/. 5Comité para la Eliminación de la Discriminación Racial CERD. (2015). Informe alternativo a los

informes periódicos 14° y 15° del Estado de Guatemala sobre la aplicación de la Convención Internacional

sobre la Eliminación de todas las Formas de Discriminación Racial: organizaciones de pueblos indígenas de

Guatemala. Retrieved from:

http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CERD/Shared%20Documents/GTM/INT_CERD_NGO_GTM_19951_S.pdf. 6 Centro de Medios Independientes de Guatemala. (2014). Alcaldía Indígena de Nebaj denuncia

agresiones a un día de la repetición de las elecciones municipales. Retrieved from:

https://cmiguate.org/alcaldia-indigena-de-nebaj-denuncia-agresiones-a-un-dia-de-la-repeticion-de-las-

elecciones-municipales/. 7 Marcela Laitano Barahona, Fernando Flores Giménez, Programa EUROsociAL, Conferencia de

Ministros de Justicia de los Países Iberoamericanos, Poder Judicial Honduras, Comité Interinstitucional de

Mecanismos Alternos de Solución de Conflictos. (2015). Mapeo: Pueblo Miskitu—Organización. In Acceso a la

Justicia y mecanismos alternos de solución de conflictos para los pueblos indígenas y afrohondureños: Mapeo y

guía de MASC. Madrid: Programa EUROsociAL. Retrieved from: http://sia.eurosocial-

ii.eu/files/docs/1437658893-DT_28-HONDURAS%28completo%29.pdf. 8 Martin Cuthbert, Steve Eduardo, Nora Newball Crisanto, Santiago Emmanuel Thomas, Rupert Allen

Clair Duncan, & Centro de Asistencia Legal Para Pueblos Indígenas CALPI. (2014). Petición de los gobiernos

Rama y Kriol, Comunidad Negra Creole Indígena de Bluefields, Comunidad Mískitu de Tasbapouni y Monkey

Point, de la Región Autónoma Atlántico Sur (RAAS) (Nicaragua). Retrieved from: http://www.calpi-

nicaragua.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Peticion-Gobiernos-Territoriales-y-Comunales-RAAS-Canal-

Interoceanico-17-6-14-1.pdf.

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Screenshot of the website of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of

Michigan

3 PEOPLE

As law emanates from jurisdictions, the classification is organized geographically. This

means that the classification is divided regionally, then sub-regionally, and within these

indigenous peoples are listed alphabetically. Providing access to indigenous peoples is

complicated by name variations, communities spread out throughout a country, single

communities traversed by national borders, and diverse communities in different countries

that share the same language. Each situation is described below.

A side note about bridging classification schedules. At the beginning of the twentieth century,

the Library of Congress Class E Schedule, History of the Americas, grouped all indigenous

peoples in E99.A-Z, regardless of subject. Because this is a long-established legacy schedule,

the new law classification provides references to related cultural materials as highlighted

below. This linking feature provides speedy access across subjects.

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Screenshot of the Class E references of the Mississauga and Montagnais of Eastern Canada

(KIC5380.5 and KIC5640.5) from ClassificationWeb

3.1 Large Communities in One Country

To provide subject access to ethnic groups with many communities in a given region makes

grouping necessary within the classification. The Cree of Canada illustrate this idea.

Screenshot of the Cree Group of Eastern Canada (KIC4750+) from ClassificationWeb

Canada is divided into two large regions, east and west, with the Cree residing in both.

Eastern Canada’s distinct indigenous peoples are listed alphabetically followed by groups,

also listed alphabetically. Within the Cree group are the “Cree of Eeyou Istchee James Bay

Territory” listed as follows:

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• KIC4764 Cree Nation of Chisasibi

• KIC4765 Eastmain (First Nation)

• KIC4766 Cree Nation of Mistissini

• KIC4767 Cree Nation of Nemaska

• KIC4768 Oujé-Bougoumou Cree Nation

• KIC4769 Washaw Sibi Eeyou (First Nation)

• KIC4770 Crees of the Waskaganish First Nation

• KIC4771 Waswanipi (First Nation)

• KIC4772 Cree Nation of Wemindji

• KIC4773 Whapmagoostui First Nation

This subgroup was formed to represent the First Nations enrolled under the Eeyou Marine

Region Land Claims Agreement,9 which the Cree ratified in 2010.10 The classification lists

the remaining Eastern Canadian communities under “Other Cree:”

• KIC4881-4900 Chapleau Cree First Nation

• KIC4901-4920 Fort Severn (First Nation)

• KIC4921-4940 Missanabie Cree (First Nation)

• KIC4941-4960 Moose Cree First Nation

Similarly, there are thirty-eight Cree communities grouped together under KID7860.5+ in the

region of Western Canada. Rather than listing each community alphabetically, the

classification group gives more meaningful subject access by uniting the culturally and

linguistically related peoples residing in the same region.

3.2 Communities in Various Countries

As subject access to communities is geographically based, a community in two nations gets

two name authority records. The Tohono O’odham, who reside in the United States and

Mexico, are a case in point. Established in the United States as Tohono O'odham Reservation

(Ariz.), the qualifier indicates that the reservation is in Arizona, a state whose southern border

touches Mexico. In Mexico, the community was established as Tohono O'odham (Community

: South). While frequently called Pápago in Mexico,11 a note in the 670 subfield explains the

naming decision was based on what the community calls itself.12 On the Indigenous Law

Portal, including alternate names such as Pápago help users who search for historical names.

3.3 Language Communities in Various Countries

Subject access to a language group with communities separated by borders requires

geographic markers within each country and notes in the NARs. One case to examine regards

the Nahua speakers, known for building the Aztec Empire.13 With 1.3 million people, Nahua

9 Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. (2010). Agreement Between the Crees of Eeyou Istchee and Her

Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Concerning the Eeyou Marine Region. Retrieved from:

https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1320437343375/1320437512985#chp5. 10 Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. (2011, December 1). Archived - Backgrounder - The Eeyou

Marine Region Land Claims Agreement. Retrieved from: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=950829. 11 Alvarado Solís, Neyra Patricia. (2007). Pápagos, In Pueblos Indígenas del México Contemporáneo.

México: CDI. Retrieved from: https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/12577/papagos.pdf. 12 Wikipedia. (2016, November 16). Pueblo pápago. Retrieved from:

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pueblo_p%C3%A1pago. 13 Ignacio Felipe, Esperanza & Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas. (2007).

Pueblos Indígenas del México Contemporáneo: Nahuas de La Montaña. Retrieved from:

https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/12553/nahuas_montana.pdf.

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speakers are concentrated in several states in central Mexico.14 Because of the size of this

language community, five NARs were created for Mexico with geographic qualifiers based

on the relative positions of the Mexican states: east, central, south central, southeast, and

southwest. The NAR below orients the user geographically using subfield 370 and two notes

in subfield 670 briefly describe this language community.

Screenshot of the Nahua (Community: Central) name authority record, Mexico

Nahua speakers migrated in waves between 800-1300 C.E. settling further south from El

Salvador to Nicaragua.15 While retaining the language, these communities are known by

various names today. The Pipil or Nahuát-Pipil are widely dispersed among several

departments of El Salvador so three NARs were established for regions called Central

Division, East-Central Division, and Western Division.16 Again, subfields 370 and 670 are

important components for the user to understand what differentiates these Nahua speakers

from those in Mexico. The example below shows the NAR for the Western Division:

14 UNICEF. (2010). Pueblo: Náhuatl (México), Pipil (El Salvador). In Atlas sociolingüístico de Pueblos

Indígenas de América Latina. Retrieved from

https://atlaspueblosindigenas.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/nahuatl.pdf. . 15 Lemus, Jorge E. (2004). El pueblo pipil y su lengua. Científica, revista de Investigaciones de

la Universidad Don Bosco, 5 (junio 2004), 7-28. Retrieved from:

https://www.academia.edu/14264404/El_pueblo_pipil_y_su_lengua. 16 UNICEF. (2010). Pueblo: Náhuatl (México), Pipil (El Salvador). In Atlas sociolingüístico de Pueblos

Indígenas de América Latina. Retrieved from:

https://atlaspueblosindigenas.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/nahuatl.pdf.

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Screenshot of the Pipil (Indigenous community: Western Division) name authority record, El

Salvador

Both the NARs for Mexico and El Salvador use the qualifier community because they do not

occupy an externally-recognized land base. Indigenous law may apply to a certain area but

the jurisdiction could not be defined through the research. What can be defined is that the

country does not legally recognize indigenous authority. The qualifier community indicates

the presence of an indigenous people in a region but the precise legal entities are defined by

the NARs of local councils within that region.

Screenshot of the Nahoa (Indigenous community: North Central) name authority record,

Nicaragua

Another large group of Nahua speakers continued further south to Nicaragua where they are

commonly called Nahoa.17 Nicaragua’s colonial legacy means that only some groups have an

externally-recognized land base representing a jurisdiction where indigenous law is

exercised. The “Law of Communal Property Regime of the Indigenous Peoples and Ethnic

Communities of the Autonomous Regions of the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua and the Rivers

17 UNICEF. (2010). Pueblo: Nahoa-Nicarao. In Atlas sociolingüístico de Pueblos Indígenas de América

Latina. Retrieved from: https://atlaspueblosindigenas.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/nahoa-nicarao.pdf.

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Coco, Indio and Maiz.”18 begins by outlining Nicaragua’s commitment to land titling for

indigenous peoples of the former Mosquitia region in accordance with earlier treaties

between Nicaragua and England as well as the 1987 Constitution and Law No. 28 “Statute on

Autonomy of the Atlantic Coast Regions of Nicaragua.”19 Therefore, Nicaragua’s Atlantic

NARs are qualified as indigenous territories; indigenous groups in the Pacific, northern, and

central regions are qualified as indigenous communities because the laws mentioned above

do not apply to them. While there is a movement to grant similar autonomous rights to

Pacific indigenous groups,20 the Nahoa are designated as a community because they do not

have an externally-recognized land base with identifiable borders.

These differences in the NARs are also reflected in the classification. While, language

families are not legal entities, they provide important contextual information about

relationships. Knowing about the name variations can help a user know which national

context applies to which community as indigenous law is affected by Western law and

relationships with local, regional, and national governments. The Nahua language family

demonstrates cultural separation over time and the name authorities parallel this divergence.

Over 2,000 name authorities were established for North America alone—indigenous groups

new to the jurisdictional map. While the statistics are not yet available for Central America,

the Library of Congress is committed to the necessary groundwork for providing subject

access to indigenous law starting with people.

4 COUNCILS

There are different names for indigenous governments but council is the most common across

the Americas as the following examples demonstrate:

18 National Assembly of the Republic of Nicaragua. (2003, January 23). Law of Communal Property

Regime of the Indigenous Peoples and Ethnic Communities of the Autonomous Regions of the Atlantic Coast of

Nicaragua and the Rivers Coco, Indio and Maiz. La Gaceta, No. 16, 74-83. Retrieved from: http://www.calpi-

nicaragua.org/law-445-chap-1-to-5/. 19 National Assembly of the Republic of Nicaragua. (1987, October 30). Statute on Autonomy of the

Atlantic Coast Regions of Nicaragua. La Gaceta, No. 238. Retrieved from: http://www.calpi-nicaragua.org/the-

autonomy-statute-law-28/. 20Asociación de Promotores y Defensoría de los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas de Nicaragua

APRODIN & Consejo Nacional de Pueblos Indígenas Pacífico. (2012). El largo camino de la Ley de Autonomía

de los Pueblos indígenas del PCN. In ¡NOSOTROS SI EXISTIMOS! La lucha de los Pueblos Indígenas del

Pacífico, Centro y Norte de Nicaragua por su autodeterminación (pp. 19-24). Retrieved from: http://www.calpi-

nicaragua.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Libro-Nosotros-Si-Existimos-version-web.pdf.

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Screenshot of the Montagnais de Natashquan website with the council highlighted

• Conseil des Montagnais de Natashquan (Council of the Montagnais de Natashquan

Canada) 21

• Privy Council from the historic Kingdom of Hawaii’s (United States) 22

• Consejo de Ancianos Laka Iwi Indianka Nani Asla Takanka LAINASTA

(Council of Elders of the LAINASTA Territory, Honduras) 23

• Conselho Geral da Tribo Sateré-Mawé (General Council, Brazil)24

Whatever the term, because of the governmental function of councils, they are critical

decision making organs to be captured in the classification. Providing subject access means

conducting time-intensive research then establishing name authority records and providing

classification numbers within the evolving schedule.

21 Mamit Innuat. (2011). Nutashkuan. Retrieved from: http://www.mamit-

innuat.com/membres/nutashkuan.aspx. 22 Kingdom of Hawaii. (1845-1892). Privy Council minutes. Retrieved from

:http://www.llmc.com/titledescfull.aspx?type=6&coll=15&div=48&set=72003. 23 Marcela Laitano Barahona, Fernando Flores Giménez, Programa EUROsociAL, Conferencia de

Ministros de Justicia de los Países Iberoamericanos, Poder Judicial Honduras, Comité Interinstitucional de

Mecanismos Alternos de Solución de Conflictos. (2015). Mapeo: Pueblo Miskitu—Organización. In Acceso a la

Justicia y mecanismos alternos de solución de conflictos para los pueblos indígenas y afrohondureños: Mapeo y

guía de MASC (p. 29). Madrid: Programa EUROsociAL. Retrieved from: http://sia.eurosocial-

ii.eu/files/docs/1437658893-DT_28-HONDURAS%28completo%29.pdf. 24 Portal dos Filhos do Waraná. Conselho Geral da Tribo Sateré-Mawé-CGTSM. Retrieved from:

http://www.nusoken.com/conselho-geral-da-tribo-satere-mawe.

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5 DOCUMENTS

The indigenous law classification provides subject access to primary legal documents such as

treaties. The multilingual indigenous law classification and the open access Indigenous Law

Portal are two vehicles that serve both catalogers and the general public.

5.1 Law Classification

The Six Nations, called the Iroquois by outsiders and the Haudenosaunee by its own

members, is a confederacy historically made up of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga

and Seneca and later joined by other tribes.25 The Six Nations signed several treaties in the

eighteenth century and each is captured in the classification as shown below:

Screenshot of the Six Nations’ individual treaties from ClassificationWeb

Providing subject access to primary source legal instruments is at the heart of creating the

new law schedule. The bibliographies on the Indigenous Law Portal extend the subject access

further.

For areas of concurrent jurisdiction, references can bridge the parallel law schedules. In the

United States, there are several acts in both the Western national and the indigenous law

schedules, which are in bold below:

• KF8548 United States (General)—Indians—Federal law—Courts and procedure. The

judiciary—Criminal law and procedure—General

o Criminal jurisdiction in Indian country. Concurrent jurisdiction

Including Federal-State, Federal-Indian, or State-Indian concurrent jurisdiction

and conflict of laws Cf. KIE3336-3340

25Haudenosaunee Confederacy. (2016). The League of Nations. Retrieved from:

http://www.haudenosauneeconfederacy.com/leagueofnations.html.

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Conversely:

• Indigenous law: United States: General—Criminal law and procedure—Criminal

jurisdiction for investigation and prosecution of reservation crimes Cf. KIE3336-

3340

o Indian Major Crimes Act see KF8550.A328 1885

o Indian Country Act see KF8550.A328 1948

o Public law 83-280 see KF8550.A328 1953

o Indian Crimes Act of 1976 see KF8550.A328 1976

Providing subject access on both sides tells the story of concurrent jurisdictions where legal

pluralism or conflict of law lives. Without the indigenous law schedule, entire legal systems

are left unrepresented and areas of overlap are overlooked. The new schedule and its

referential dimension demonstrate solidarity with indigenous law as it is exercised today.

5.2 Indigenous Law Portal

One difference between the indigenous law schedule and the Portal is the presence of the

bibliographies organized by subject with links to digital content. Each country page has links

that take users to the bibliography with these subjects:

• Law Gateways

• Official Gazettes

• Intergovernmental Congresses & Conferences

• Intergovernmental Organizations (IGO)

• National Indigenous Organizations

• Laws and Treaties

• Law Reports

• Directories

• Research Guides

• Legal Education

• Indigenous Law Societies

• Institutes and Academies

• History

• Conflict of laws including plurality of laws conflict, multiculturalism,

plurinationalism

• Land Law

• Economic Law

• Social Services

• Public Health

• Environmental Law

• Medical Laws

• Education

• Constitutional Law

• Human Rights

• Nationality & Citizenship

• Administrative Law

• Public Property

• Courts & Procedure

Each heading copies the terms in same order as the indigenous law schedule. In bold are the

categories that tend to have the most open access, digital content available. One instance of

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primary source law found in the Nicaragua bibliography under the category of “land law” and

“environmental law” is Bio-protocols for Free, Prior, and Informed Consultation and

Consent of the Mayangna Sauni Arungka People.26 This document outlines the territorial and

community governments, women’s political participation, and methods of conflict resolution.

The protocols apply to decisions regarding underground, forest, or water resources, using

traditional genetic material or knowledge, and land use that involves areas of cultural

significance, displacing people, or storage of dangerous materials.27

The relationship between a national government and indigenous communities impacts how

indigenous law is practiced. Not all indigenous governments are recognized or supported and,

this in turn, affects the availability of primary source materials. There are many organizations

involved in research and the Portal includes those with legal facets. Some examples of

headings with secondary sources include:

• Conflict of laws including plurality of laws conflict, multiculturalism,

plurinationalism: Access to justice and alternative mechanisms for conflict resolution

for indigenous peoples and afro-Hondurans: Mapping and guide from MASC28

• General resources: Bilingual Glossary of Legal Terms Spanish-Q’eqhi’(Guatemala)29

• Human rights: Opening paths through legal intersections: gender violence and Maya

women30

The above resources give users a glimpse into indigenous law via secondary sources. If there

were primary resources available, they would be given priority but this is not always possible

and some information on specific communities is preferable to nothing.

The Portal does not link to any proprietary material for which fees or memberships are

necessary. This aspect supports users of all socioeconomic backgrounds who are pursuing

information about indigenous law. The subject access provided by the classification is

extended to the Indigenous Law Portal to the benefit of users around the world.

5.3 Digitization

Over 400 works have been digitized from the Law Library collections, primarily for

indigenous groups of the United States. This collection demonstrates evolving indigenous law

in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. While the bulk of the materials are in English, there

are documents published in indigenous languages such as:

26 Gobierno Territorio Mayangna Sauni Arungka & Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la

Naturaleza UICN. (2014). Bio-protocolo de Consulta y Consentimiento Libre, Previo e Informado (CLPI) del

pueblo Mayangna Sauni Arungka, territorio Matumbak. Retrieved from:

https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2014-058.pdf. 27 Ibid. (p. 83). 28 Laitano Barahona, Marcela, Fernando Flores Giménez, Programa EUROsociAL, Conferencia de

Ministros de Justicia de los Países Iberoamericanos, Poder Judicial Honduras, & Comité Interinstitucional de

Mecanismos Alternos de Solución de Conflictos. (2015). Acceso a la Justicia y mecanismos alternos de

solución de conflictos para los pueblos indígenas y afrohondureños: Mapeo y guía de MASC. Retrieved from:

http://sia.eurosocial-ii.eu/files/docs/1437658893-DT_28-HONDURAS%28completo%29.pdf. 29 Instituto de la Defensa Pública Penal, Programa de Apoyo a la Seguridad y la Justicia en Guatemala,

Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala, & Instituto de Lingüística e Interculturalidad de la Universidad

Rafael Landívar. (2014). Glosario Bilingüe de Términos Jurídicos Español–Q'eqchi'/Raatinul Chaq'rab' Sa'

Ka'paay Ru Aatinob'aal' Kaxlan'aatin – Q'eqchi.' Retrieved from:

http://www.sejust.gob.gt/sites/default/files/Glosario%20Juridico%20Q%27EQCHI%27%20completo.pdf. 30 Álvarez Díaz, Andrea. (2015). Abriendo camino por los intersticios jurídicos: violencia de género y

mujeres mayas. Revista Chilena de Antropología 31 (primer semestre), 47-61. Retrieved from:

http://www.revistadeantropologia.uchile.cl/index.php/RCA/article/viewFile/40606/42145.

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• Acts of 1881 in Choctaw 31

• 1875 Constitution and Laws of the Cherokee Nation in Cherokee32

• 1894 Revised statutes in Creek33

• 1899 Compilation in Chickasaw34

These indigenous language materials were not originally catalogued by the Library of

Congress but they are all available via the classification, the bibliographic databases, and the

Portal. As seen above, the English links provide broader access to the materials. This is

helpful when searching although the materials themselves are not in English. More

indigenous law materials from the Western Hemisphere may be uncovered for future

inclusion on the Portal. The digitization efforts of the Law Library of Congress demonstrate

solidarity in linguistic divergence by making laws accessible via the Indigenous Law Portal.

6 ORGANIZATIONS

Both the indigenous law classification and the Indigenous Law Portal provide subject access

to organizations dedicated to research, development, and indigenous rights advocacy. The

schedule includes the name of an organization and its location as it is classified

geographically. Through the Portal, one may access a website or blog created by the

organization and/or documents that describe the organization’s activities. Because not all

organizations have a website or a social media presence, sometimes users will have to depend

on secondary sources. For inclusion on the Portal, a minimum of two different sources is

required. Users can also search for social media accounts as the Library of Congress does not

link to these sources. Described in detail below, organizations are grouped into a research

category called “institutes and academies” or “advocacy organizations.”

6.1 Institutes and Academies

There are many research institutes dedicated to a wide range of issues relating to indigenous

communities but KIA-KIX and the Portal focus on legal institutes such as these.

• Tribal Law and Policy Institute (United States)—Described on its website as

“dedicated to providing free publication resources, comprehensive training, and

technical assistance for Native nations and tribal justice systems.” 35

• Scow Institute (Canada)—Its mission is to develop “greater understanding between

Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples through information that is fact based, non-

31 Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Chahta okla i nanalhpisa, nanapesa affammi 1881 chiiya ka. Ahlopulli

tok. Chahta anompa atoshoa. Tanisin, Teksis [Denison, Texas]: Murray & Dearing, holisso ai ikbe, 1881.

Retrieved from: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/american-indian-consts/PDF/42042872.pdf. 32 Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma, Constitution and laws of the Cherokee Nation, St. Louis, R. & T. A.

Ennis, printers, 1875. Retrieved from: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/american-indian-consts/PDF/28014177.pdf. 33 Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma, Este Maskoke etvlwv emvhakv empvtakv momet emvhakv. D.C.

Watson, etohtvlhocvtet os ot'voskv rvkko ennetta 15, 1892, vhakv hakvte vcvkvyen. Maskoke, Estecate Etvlwv,

E.H. Hubbard & co., svuoricvlke, 1894. Retrieved from: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/american-indian-

consts/PDF/44020719.pdf. 34 Chickasaw Nation, Laws, statutes, etc. [from old catalog] Chikasha okla i kvnstitushvn micha i nan

vlhpisa micha Yonaitet Estets nan ittim apehinsa tok 1832 micha 1834, 1837, 1852, 1855 micha 1866 kvt

afoyukka hoke. Mikma holisso illappat toba chi ka Nov. 2, 1897, ash o Chikasha okla i Nan apesa yvt apesa tok

makoke. Davis A. Homer, akosh anumpa toshole ho, Parsons, Kan., The Foley railway printing company, 1899.

Retrieved from: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/american-indian-consts/PDF/28014195.pdf. 35 Tribal Law and Policy Institute. (2017, May 22). Homepage. Retrieved from:

http://www.home.tlpi.org/.

15

partisan and accessible on topical issues that affect all Canadians”36 and its research

library includes many publications on legal issues.37

• Mayan Language Academy of Guatemala—The name belies the contributions to

legal glossaries in Q’eqchi,38 K’iche,39 and Kaqchikel40 and a publication regarding a

proposed constitutional reform.41

A cursory look at the research by the above organizations shows a range of topics from

juvenile justice and tribal-state collaboration to fishing rights and government finance. The

new schedule provides subject access to critical research regarding indigenous communities

by way of research organizations.

6.2 Advocacy Organizations

Advocacy organizations such as the following play an important role at the regional, national,

and sub-regional levels:

• Inuit Circumpolar Council (transnational)—Described on its website as an

“international non-government organization representing approximately 160,000 Inuit

of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Chukotka (Russia).” 42

• National Salvadoran Indigenous Council Coordinator (El Salvador)—Also

known by its acronym CCNIS, the multi-tribal members are involved in and consulted

for various initiatives.43

• Center for Legal Assistance for Indigenous Peoples (Nicaragua)—Headed by a

human rights lawyer, CALPI is a nonprofit that promotes the rights of indigenous and

afro-Caribbean peoples of the Atlantic coast region. 44

The first advocacy organization works with a single community spread out over various

countries while the second works with several groups within a single country. The final

example also works with several groups with a sub-national region of a country. Although

advocacy at the national level is important, there are many organizations working across

36 The Scow Institute. (2008). Homepage. Retrieved from http://scow-archive.libraries.coop/index.html. 37 The Scow Institute. (2008). Research Library. Retrieved from http://scow-

archive.libraries.coop/library.html. 38 Instituto de la Defensa Pública Penal, Programa de Apoyo a la Seguridad y la Justicia en Guatemala,

Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala, & Instituto de Lingüística e Interculturalidad de la Universidad

Rafael Landívar. (2014). Glosario Bilingüe de Términos Jurídicos Español–Q'eqchi'/Raatinul Chaq'rab' Sa'

Ka'paay Ru Aatinob'aal' Kaxlan'aatin – Q'eqchi.' Retrieved from:

http://www.sejust.gob.gt/sites/default/files/Glosario%20Juridico%20Q%27EQCHI%27%20completo.pdf. 39 Instituto de la Defensa Pública Penal, Programa de Apoyo a la Seguridad y la Justicia en Guatemala,

Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala, & Instituto de Lingüística e Interculturalidad de la Universidad

Rafael Landívar. (2014). Glosario Bilingüe de Términos Jurídicos Español – K'iche'/Choltaqanik Tzij Pa Keb'

Ch'ab'al Kaxlan – K'iche'. Retrieved from:

http://www.sejust.gob.gt/sites/default/files/Glosario%20Juridico%20K%27ICHE%27%20completo_0.pdf. 40 Instituto de la Defensa Pública Penal, Programa de Apoyo a la Seguridad y la Justicia en Guatemala,

Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala, & Instituto de Lingüística e Interculturalidad de la Universidad

Rafael Landívar. (2014). Glosario Bilingüe de Términos Jurídicos Español – Kaqchikel/Taqanel Ch'uticholtzij

Pa Ka'i Ch'ab'äl Kaxlan – Kaqchikel. Retrieved from:

http://www.sejust.gob.gt/sites/default/files/Glosario%20Juridico%20KAQCHIKEL%20completo.pdf. 41 Observatorio de pueblos indígenas & Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala. (2016). Reformas a

la Constitución política de la República de Guatemala en materia de justicia. Retrieved from

http://www.reformajusticiagt.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/008.pdf. 42 Inuit Circumpolar Council. Homepage. Retrieved from: http://www.inuitcircumpolar.com/. 43 Consejo Coordinador Nacional Indígena Salvadoreño. (2012). Homepage. Retrieved from:

http://www.ccniselsalvador.org/. 44 Centro de Asistencia Legal Para Pueblos Indígenas. (2017, May 2). Homepage. Retrieved from:

http://www.calpi-nicaragua.org/.

16

borders that make it necessary to include regions such as North America, Central America,

South America, the latter two combined and sometimes including Mexico, the Western

Hemisphere and the globe. Both the schedule and the Portal are easily expanded to

accommodate changes in indigenous law, an important component of maintaining subject

access.

While these organizations represent secondary sources, their inclusion is essential; where

indigenous groups cannot legally operate as governments, they often create nonprofits as a

contemporary expression of indigenous autonomy. Organizations exemplify solidarity in

divergence as their inclusion is a departure from the Western law schedule.

7 LIMITATIONS

Like all library systems created by humans, Class KIA-KIX and the Indigenous Law Portal

are not without limitations. There are subject access challenges around language such as

Zapotec in Mexico, which has 12-60 languages depending on the linguist. 45 The more

research one conducts, the more name variations one finds but some cultures are poorly

documented or left out of research publications. The map below shows how complex

documentation of areas like Oaxaca, Mexico can be.

Image of Primary locations of indigenous people of Oaxaca (Mexico) from Wikimedia

Commons46

Another limitation is governed by legal trends, which in the Americas is largely focused

around land and the resources attached to it. Jurisdictions usually leave out urban indigenous

45Native Languages of the Americas. (2015). Zapotec Indian Language (Zapoteco). Retrieved from:

http://www.native-languages.org/zapotec.htm. 46 Wikimedia Commons, Map_of_Oaxaca.svg: El bart089 derivative work: Aymatth2

(Map_of_Oaxaca.svg) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL

(http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)]. (2010, July 20). Primary locations of indigenous people of Oaxaca.

Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AOaxaca_indigenous_people.svg.

17

populations. There are Western governments ruling nation states so another hot topic is the

conflict of laws and how legal pluralism can or cannot function in practice. The legal

profession and the legal needs of indigenous communities and the countries in which they

reside drive research and publication in certain areas, which can create lopsided subject

access.

A limitation for the Indigenous Law Portal specifically is the focus on open access digital

resources. There is a world of proprietary publications that could be covered by the

classification if a library acquires these materials but the Portal is shaped by what is freely

accessible on web. While the Portal can present web resources in an organized way, it may

also give users the impression that if there is no content, it does not exist.

8 CONCLUSION

The indigenous law schedule was created to improve subject access to indigenous legal

resources from communities and councils to documents and advocacy organizations.

Recognizing legal plurality, the Library of Congress demonstrates democratic solidarity with

numerous indigenous communities across the Americas.

Acknowledgments

Jane Sanchez, Law Librarian of Congress.

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19

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