Governor Fallin Meets With Tribal Leaders In Tulsa

Tulsa was home to an historic meeting Tuesday. Governor Mary Fallin met with the leaders of nearly all of the state's federally recognized Indian tribes.

The Cherokee Nation is the largest native tribe in the United States and pumps more than a billion dollars into Oklahoma's economy every year.

Citizens of the Cherokee Nation, as well as the other 39 other federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma, are in a unique position of relying on their specific tribe and the state government.

"Instead of an aura of hostility, we need to sit down and visit and accomplish many things that we need to do just by eyeball-to-eyeball agreements, or just by across-the-table conversation," said Wallace Coffey, Chairman of the Comanche Nation.

Usually, those meetings include only the leaders of the native tribes, until Tuesday.

Governor Mary Fallin held a closed door meeting with the leaders of Oklahoma's native tribes, hosted by Chief George Tiger and the Creek Nation.

"I just want to express my appreciation for all of the leaders coming together," Governor Fallin. "They have provided us with very useful information."

The tribal leaders say they talked about a number of items, from tobacco compacts to gaming revenue to making sure the state helps protect the tribe's cultural identities.

"It's good to be able to sit down with the head of the state of Oklahoma, with heads of nations, the way it should be, instead of sending somebody to just pay pittance to us.

The tribes say the meeting was important, because it shows the state is willing to reach across and work with them on a government-to-government basis.

Chief George Tiger says they've asked the governor's office that she meet at least twice a year with the various leaders of the native tribes here in Oklahoma.