The City of Boulder appreciates the opportunity to engage and consult with Tribal Representatives from federally recognized American Indian Tribal Nations.
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The City of Boulder acknowledges the city is on the ancestral homelands and unceded territory of Indigenous Peoples who have traversed, lived in and stewarded lands in the Boulder Valley since time immemorial. Those Indigenous Nations include the: Di De’I (Apache), Hinono’eiteen (Arapaho), Tsétsėhéstȧhese (Cheyenne), Nʉmʉnʉʉ (Comanche), Caiugu (Kiowa), Čariks i Čariks (Pawnee), Sosonih (Shoshone), Oc'eti S'akowin (Sioux) and Núuchiu (Ute).
The city recognizes that Indigenous knowledge, oral histories, and languages – handed down through generations over thousands of years – have shaped profound cultural and spiritual connections with Boulder-area lands and ecosystems and that those connections are sustained and celebrated to this day. City staff appreciate the opportunity to listen and learn from Tribal Representatives and look forward to ongoing consultations and engagement with Tribal Nations.
Tribal Representatives, City Council members and city staff visited The Peoples’ Crossing in March 2023. The visit was part of ongoing city-Tribal Nation collaboration to develop new Indigenous education and interpretative materials for the area and to continue fulfilling the Indigenous Peoples Day Resolution.
City Wins Award for Tribal Consultation Efforts
The City of Boulder extends its gratitude to Tribal Representatives for nominating the city for an American Cultural Resources Association (ACRA) for its consultation and engagement efforts with American Indian Tribal Nations, which the city received at the association's annual conference in September 2024. The award honors organizations that have “demonstrated accomplishments and commitments above and beyond those required to meet laws and regulations pertaining to cultural resource management.” The city thanked Tribal Representatives who signed a nomination letter co-developed by the Keystone Policy Center and Living Heritage and Tribal Representatives who wrote their own letters of support that helped the city win the award. Read a city press release to learn more about the ACRA award.
Tribal Sovereignty and Consultation
Sovereignty for Native peoples has existed since time immemorial, pre-dating the U.S. Constitution. Federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Nations are sovereign governments, and their special relationship with the United States is recognized under the Constitution of the United States, treaties, statutes, Executive Orders and court decisions. The special legal status of Tribal Governments requires official relations with federal agencies to be conducted on a government-to-government basis.
City staff recognize the importance of honoring Tribal sovereignty and self-determination and conduct government-to-government consultations with Tribal Representatives appointed by federally recognized Tribal Nations. The city’s consultation framework with Tribal Nations is based on:
Guidance provided by designated Tribal Representatives from federally recognized Tribal Nations during past consultations.
Existing Memorandums of Understandings the city shares with Tribal Nations.
Colorado’s list of Historic Tribes that have a legacy of occupation in the state.
Federal and State of Colorado consultation best practices and guidelines.
While the City of Boulder has a framework for consultation with federally recognized American Indian Tribal Nations, city staff also recognize the importance of collaborating with local Indigenous communities and organizations in the Boulder area. Current Tribal consultation does not preclude the city from conducting similar collaboration processes with local Indigenous communities and organizations, and staff recognizes the need to work with regional partners to establish broader, community-wide Indigenous collaboration practices.
