Legal Standing & Recognition

Preamble

The Hunnic Matinecock Tribal Nation exists as a sovereign people by bloodline, compact, and law. Our standing does not rely on recognition by outside governments but on the binding force of treaties, constitutional authority, court rulings, and federal regulations that cannot be repealed by bias or neglect.

Constitutional Authority

The Supremacy Clause (Article VI, Clause 2) of the U.S. Constitution declares:

“This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land.”

Because of ancestors were signatories and inheritors under binding treaties – including the Treaty of Canandaigua (1794), the Treaty of Hartford (1650), and the Montaukett deeds & petitions (1160s-1705) – these agreements remain enforceable federal law. Congress has never repealed them.

Judicial Authority

The United States Supreme Court has consistently upheld the sovereignty of tribal nations:

  • Worcester v. Georgia (1832) – Tribes are “distinct, independent political communities, retaining their original natural rights.”
  • United States v. Winans (1905) – Treaties are not a grant of rights to tribes, but a grant of rights from them; tribes retain all rights not expressly given away.
  • McGirt v. Oklahoma (2020) – “Because Congress has not said otherwise, we hold the government to its word.” Tribal treaties remain valid until explicitly repealed.

These rulings confirm that the sovereignty of the Narragansett, Mohawk, Matinecock, Montaukett, and Wappinger – and thus of their descendants – remains intact today.

Regulatory Authority

  • 25 C.F.R. § 83.11 – Federal standard requiring descent from a historical tribe. Our FamilySearch genealogy and DNA satisfy this requirement directly.
  • Federal Rules of Evidence (Rules 401 & 702) – Genealogical records and DNA analysis are admissible as legal proof of ancestry and identity.
  • 26 U.S.C. § 7871 – Tribal governments are treated as states for taxation, funding, and financial purposes.
  • 26 U.S.C. § 508(c)(1)(A) – Affirms ecclesiastical and sovereign societies’ exemption from federal pre-approval, protecting tribal governments.
  • 42 U.S.C. § 2001 et seq. – Codifies healthcare obligations to Native peoples under treaty law.

International Authority

Our sovereignty is not confined to U.S. Law. It is reinforced globally through:

  • United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007) – Affirms the right of Indigenous peoples to self-determination and to maintain their political, legal, and cultural institutions.
  • Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969) – Establishes that treaties are binding international contracts.
  • Dynastic Compacts – Including the Xiongnu–Han Treaty (198 BC), the Yuan–Goryeo Marriage Alliance (1270s–1300s), and the Joseon–Ming Compacts (1400s), which anchor our bloodline in Asian imperial sovereignty.

FamilySearch Genealogy as Legal Proof

  • FamilySearch genealogical records are accepted in U.S. courts for inheritance, tribal recognition, and probate matters.
  • Our direct descent from Canonicus, Kanienkeha Ka Hertel, Catoneras, Cornelius Van Texel, Colonel Robert Knapp, Travis, Lent, Outhouse, and Dyckman families is preserved in these records.
  • This proof is legally admissible and satisfies federal evidentiary and BIA enrollment standards.

Declaration of Legal Standing

The sovereignty of the Hunnic Matinecock Tribal Nation is anchored in:

  • The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution (Article VI)
  • Binding treaties (Canandaigua, Hartford, Montaukett deeds & petitions, Catoneras–Van Texel Compact)
  • Supreme Court rulings (Worcester v. Georgia, Winans, McGirt)
  • Federal regulations (25 C.F.R. § 83.11; 26 U.S.C. § 7871; 26 U.S.C. § 508(c)(1)(A))
  • International law (UNDRIP 2007; Vienna Convention 1969)
  • FamilySearch genealogical validation and DNA evidence

Therefore, the Hunnic Matinecock Tribal Nation stands as a treaty-backed, constitutionally protected, court-recognized, federally compliant, and internationally affirmed sovereign Nation.

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