Wrong. The BIA didnt have shi t to do with the tribe obtaining their mineral rights in the very beginning in 1905. That came thru a treaty with the US Govt. The BIA as an agency of the feds their only job was to be as a trust holder and investor of tribal funds. Later after the mineral rights were retained and oil was first discovered they came in as go between negociators between the tribe and their oil producers. Their next job was to make sure that all of the money was being paid at the HPP, then it was to be collected and invested properly. They did not do any of their jobs properly- from 1905 to 2012. 107 years of mismanagement. No matter if youre an indian tribe or an LLC youre not going to allow people to steal from you, especially the govt. The tribe subsequently won a large lawsuit but then were still screwed over in collectiing, maybe 10% of what was owed by the mismangement of the BIA was settled as the tribe wanted to settle while some elders were still alive. Now finally thru this latest court action the tribe will be able to get the BIA completely out of the tribes oil business and let the tribe finally make all of their own decisions concerning their mineral estate.
FYI- All of OKs tribes contributions from compacts, etc back to the state of OK has surpassed $1 billion.
(The Osage tribe wasnt just given land by the govt. Unlike other tribes they bought their own reservation land, Osage county today, with $2.5mil in tribal money held in trust for them that came from being paid for land after being moved from their natural homeland in MO then to KA then finally on to OK when OK became Indian country. (At one time all of OK and AR were considered by all other tribes as ancient Osage hunting grounds, even tho they were headquartered in what is now St Louis and Kansas City- the tribe was split up in 2 different bands 2 different locations. Other tribes in good standing with them or intermarried were allowed to hunt there, relationships possibly from eons before while living in Cahokia). After their final move to OK the Cherokees sold the Osages what is now Osage land in a deal brokered by the govt as the 2 tribes were less than friendly with each other (a battle at what is now Claremore which is named after an Osage chief between the tribes was especially brutal). The tribe also actually held up the land runs and subsequent statehood until the US govt could get negociated with tribal officials a final deal assuring that the tribe would retain ownership of all mineral rights in exchange for letting white settlers come on tribal land and settle, owning only the surface of the land, which is the largest county in OK. The Phillips brothers then later negociated with the tribe to prospect drill for oil, and the rest is history, the Phillips brothers and Osage tribe became oil rich. And that is where the oil rights money came from- definite the BIA had nothing to do with any of it).
Last edited:
