Northern Michigan Tribe May Allow Same-Sex Marriage

By Linda Stephan

A northern Michigan Indian nation will debate whether to recognize same-sex marriage within the tribe, the Petoskey News-Review is reporting today.

There's a proposal before the tribal council of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, based in Harbor Springs. Though Michigan's Constitution defines marriage as strictly between a man and a woman, the tribe is a sovereign nation and it can adopt a different definition.

News-Review Reporter Brandon Hubbard told IPR there are a couple American Indian Tribes in the U.S. that have already opened marriage to same-sex couples.

"There's two, one in Oregon and one in Washington State," Hubbard says. "The one in Washington State approved theirs in August of 2001. The one in Oregon was approved in 2008, I believe, and went into effect in 2009."

At least one person in the marriage would have to be a member of the Little Traverse Bay Bands.

The proposal is open for tribal members to comment for the next 30 days.