Rights & Recognition

Preamble

The rights of the Hunnic Matinecock Tribal Nation are not privileges granted by outside governments – they are guaranteed under binding treaties, federal law, and international recognition. Every agency of the United States, every state institution, and every private entity that operates under U.S. law is bound by these obligations.

Education Rights

  • The Treaty of Canandaigua (1794) guarantees continuing recognition of Mohawk and Haudenosaunee descendants, including our lineal ancestry.
  • 25 C.F.R. § 83.11 establishes that lineal descent from historical tribes qualifies for recognition; our FamilySearch-validated genealogy satisfied this standard.
  • Schools must register and classify our children as Native American treaty beneficiaries, ensuring access to federal and state Native education programs.
  • Refusal to recognize our status is a violation of the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution (Article VI) and subject to enforcement by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

Healthcare Rights

  • Citizens of our Nation are eligible for protections under the Indian Health Service (IHS) and treaty-based healthcare obligations.
  • Hospitals and clinics must record our citizens as Native American patients, not solely as private citizens.
  • Denial of services violates 42 U.S.C. § 2001 et seq., which affirms federal obligations to Native peoples.
  • Genealogical records through FamilySearch are admissible under the Federal Rules of Evidence, serving as proof of identity.

Legal Identity & Documentation

  • The Social Security Administration, DMV, and state agencies must process and respect treaty-protected Native names and tribal classifications.
  • The Treaty of Hartford (1650), the Montaukett Deeds & Petitions (1660s-1705), and the Treaty of Canandaigua (1794) remain binding law, and no act of Congress has repealed them.
  • The Supremacy Clause (Article VI) requires that these treaties be treated as the “supreme law of the land.”
  • Refusal by an agency to recognize treaty-protected Native identity constitutes a breach of federal law.

Commerce & Financial Rights

  • Under 26 U.S.C. § 7871, tribal governments are treated as state governments for taxation, trade, and financial purposes.
  • The Hunnic Matinecock Tribal Nation therefore possesses the right to maintain sovereign treasury accounts, banking odes, and financial infrastructure.
  • Sovereign commerce is also protected under IRS Code § 508(c)(1)(A), which recognizes ecclesiastical and sovereign entities without federal pre-approval.

Sovereign Immunity

  • Worcester v. Georgia (1832): The Supreme Court affirmed tribes as “distinct, independent political communities.”
  • McGirt v. Oklahoma (2020): The Court reaffirmed that tribal treaties remain valid unless explicitly repealed by Congress.
  • As no repeal has ever been made against the Narragansett, Mohawk, Matinecock, Montaukett, or Wappinger treaties, our Nation’s sovereignty remains intact and enforceable.

International Recognition

  • United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007): Affirms our right to maintain political, legal, economic, social, and cultural institutions.
  • Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969): Confirms that treaties are binding international contracts.

These instruments extend our protections beyond U.S. borders, affirming that our sovereignty is recognized under international law.

Declaration of Enforcement

The Hunnic Matinecock Tribal Nation hereby affirms:

  • Education – Our children must be recognized as Native American treaty beneficiaries.
  • Healthcare – Our people are entitled to treaty-based protections and services.
  • Identity – Our names, lineage, and classifications must be respected by all agencies.
  • Commerce – Our financial and economic rights stand equal to those of state governments.
  • Sovereignty – Our Nation retains immunity and authority under treaties, law, and custom.

Any denial of these rights constitutes a violation of:

  • The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution (Article VI)
  • Binding treaties listed herein
  • Federal statutes, including 25 C.F.R. § 83.11, 26 U.S.C. § 7871, and 42 U.S.C. § 2001 et seq.
  • International law under the United Nations Charter and the Vienna Convention

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