The case in point includes Creek jurisdiction I believe. It is no more or less “indian land” than Kenton or Osage County. I don’t believe the USSC is making any distinction at all as to “ownership” but rather the area designated as an original tribal jurisdiction.
The sovereignty of the tribes has been steadily creeping toward more and more visible blurring the lines between the tribe and local to state government. In the Cherokee Nation it appears more like a partnership with the Cherokees as the player with discretionary funds. They don’t spend much but they make a big show with what they do spend. Contributions are usually in the tens of thousands of dollars. Schools get special trinkets, law enforcement get special tools, the county gets road matching money, the RWD gets help with a new treatment plant etc. The Corps of Engineers gave one of the largest parks in the area to the tribe for management. It will be interesting to see how that turns out. Not well I suspect but I can be surprised. The tribe took over Sequoyah’s home because the state could no longer afford it. There are tribal police but we don’t see them often.
Oklahoma is poor and poorly run. The tribes could do worse I am certain.
I talked with the mayor of a small Cherokee town not far from here. He said that the Corona virus caused the schools to be closed down, now they are using internet to teach, and Every Student now has a computer, supplied by the state, and they are upgrading their internet services.
The Navajos could only dream of such a windfall.
I am acquainted with various tribal members at Grove and Jay.