What Is Indian Country? The Legal Definition and the Republic’s Usage
A term with a federal statutory definition and a broader meaning: self-governing Indigenous nations within the United States.
‘Indian country’ has a federal statutory definition in 18 U.S.C. § 1151, which covers reservations, dependent Indian communities and Indian allotments. More broadly, it means the self-governing Indigenous nations within the United States, primarily federally recognized but not limited to federal recognition, because Indigenous peoples hold the right to self-determination. The Xi-Amaru Republic is an Indian country, known within U.S. territory as Amexum.
The federal statutory definition
Section 1151 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code defines Indian country, for purposes of federal criminal jurisdiction, as three kinds of places:
- All land within the limits of any Indian reservation under the jurisdiction of the U.S. government, including rights-of-way through the reservation.
- All dependent Indian communities within the borders of the United States.
- All Indian allotments whose Indian titles have not been extinguished, including rights-of-way through them.
Courts and agencies use this definition in other areas of federal law as well. It is a definition of places for the purposes of U.S. law.
The broader meaning
In common and governmental use, Indian country also names the Indigenous nations themselves: self-governing peoples within the United States, primarily federally recognized but not limited to federal recognition, because self-determination belongs to Indigenous peoples whether or not the federal government has entered into a formal relationship with them.
An Indian country that was established by Nnakina Xi-Amaru Fears (at the time named Nnakina Xi-Amaru) on December 17, 2022, situated on the continent of North America, characterized by its own government, legal system, and distinct cultural identity. It operates in accordance with the principles of self-determination, autonomy, and the protection of Indigenous rights, ensuring the preservation and advancement of its people’s heritage and sovereignty.
Amexum
Within United States territory, the Xi-Amaru Republic is known as Amexum, the Republic’s Indian country. It operates cooperatively alongside U.S. jurisdiction. The Republic’s jurisdiction is personal, administrative, civic and business jurisdiction exercised through its own systems; see Why Records Decide Jurisdiction and the glossary entry for jurisdiction.
“Indigenous peoples have the right to promote, develop and maintain their institutional structures and their distinctive customs, spirituality, traditions, procedures, practices and, in the cases where they exist, juridical systems or customs, in accordance with international human rights standards.”
“Indigenous peoples have the right to promote, develop and maintain their institutional structures and their distinctive customs, spirituality, traditions, procedures, practices and, in the cases where they exist, juridical systems or customs, in accordance with international human rights standards.”
Read Jurisdiction Explained
How authority works within the Xi-Amaru Republic, from the Ministry.
Questions people ask
What is the legal definition of Indian country?
18 U.S.C. § 1151 defines it as land within Indian reservations, dependent Indian communities, and Indian allotments whose Indian titles have not been extinguished.
Does Indian country only mean federally recognized tribes?
The statute defines places. In broader use, Indian country means self-governing Indigenous nations within the United States, primarily federally recognized but not limited to federal recognition.
What is Amexum?
The name of the Xi-Amaru Republic’s Indian country within United States territory. It operates cooperatively alongside U.S. jurisdiction.
Source: 18 U.S.C. § 1151 (Cornell Legal Information Institute). Declaration text checked word for word against the primary sources: ADRIP, AG/RES. 2888 (XLVI-O/16) and UNDRIP, A/RES/61/295. This article is general education, not legal, tax or financial advice.
