The membership of the Kiowa Indian Tribe shall consist of the following persons, regardless of their residence:
Upon approval of this constitution and bylaws, all original Kiowa allotters of Kiowa Indian blood and/or Kiowa Captive blood will be entitled to be enrolled as members of the Kiowa Indian Tribe; provided, they are not disqualified for membership under Section 6 of this Article.
Descendants of persons identified in Section 1(a) of this Article are eligible for enrollment; provided, they file with the Kiowa Business Committee an application for enrollment and possess at least one-fourth (1/4) degree Kiowa Indian and/or Kiowa Captive blood. Upon determination by the Kiowa Business Committee that the individual meets the requirements for membership he shall be enrolled as a member of the tribe.
All persons identified in Section 1(a) of this Article shall be considered as possessing four-fourths (4/4) degree Kiowa Indian and/or Kiowa Captive blood for the purposes of computing eligibility of their descendants for membership under Section 1(b) of this Article.
Persons whose parents are not recorded on official records as Kiowa Indians or Kiowa Captives must prove by other acceptable evidence that they possess the required degree of Indian blood from that shown in the records may be made in accordance with procedures established by the Kiowa Tribal Business Committee, provided any change in blood degree shall be subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs or his authorized representative.
Applications for membership must be supported by birth certificates of authenticated copies thereof and/or other records recognized by State or Federal Recorders, as required by the circumstances of each application. All evidence will be retained by the Kiowa Business Committee to support the record.
Persons adopted by individual Kiowa tribal members shall not be eligible for membership unless they otherwise qualify for enrollment.
Persons who are enrolled with another Indian tribe shall be notified of the dual enrollment status by certified mail, return receipt requested. If they have not shared in tribal assets as defined above, they shall be given ninety (90) days from the date of receipt of the notice in which to elect the tribe with which they wish to retain membership. In the event they do not notify the Kiowa Enrollment Committee as specified above, their name will be removed from the Kiowa membership roll.
No person who possesses no Kiowa Indian and/or Kiowa Captive blood shall be enrolled as a member of the Kiowa Indian Tribe.
The Kiowa Business Committee shall serve as the Enrollment Committee.
The Kiowa Indian Council shall have the power to prescribe rules and regulations covering future membership, including adoptions and the loss of membership, subject to approval of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs or his authorized representative.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Article II, Section 6, involving the receipt of benefits in land or money, any person who meets the eligibility criteria of Article II, Section 1, who as a minor accepted material or monetary benefits by virtue of the minor being a member of another Indian tribe, shall have the option of relinquishing their membership in the other tribe and becoming a member of the Kiowa Indian Tribe not later than one year after the person attains the age of recognition by the Kiowa Indian Council, as prescribed in Article I, Section 2, provided further that any person eligible for membership in the Kiowa Indian Tribe under this Section at the time of its ratification must take appropriate action to enroll as a member of the Kiowa Indian Tribe no later than ninety (90) days subsequent to the adoption of this Section. (6/82)
Please see Constitution and Bylaws for more information.