<P> The Osage Allotment Act of 1906, mentioned in more detail under the previous section Natural Resources and Headrights, provided for election of a principal chief, assistant principal chief and an eight - member tribal council as the recognized governing body of the Osage Tribe . Each allottee received 657 acres (2.66 km) of surface rights and mineral rights were reserved to the Osage Tribe . Only allottees and their descendants with headrights, considered shareholders, could vote or run for office in the tribe . Over generations, headrights and votes became highly fractionated . </P> <P> By a new constitution of 1994, the Osage voted that original allottees and their direct descendants, regardless of blood quantum, were citizen members of the Nation . Due to court challenges, this constitution was overruled . At the time of allotment, the Osage had challenged some of the allottees listed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but the BIA had never cleaned up their records according to the tribal position . Later this challenge was brought up again . </P> <P> The Osage appealed to Congress for support to create their own government and membership rules . In 2004, President George W. Bush signed Public Law 108 - 431, "An Act to Reaffirm the Inherent Sovereign Rights of the Osage Tribe to Determine Its Membership and Form a Government ." From 2004 to 2006, the Osage Government Reform Commission formed and worked to develop a new government . It explored "sharply differing visions arose of the new government's goals, the Nation's own history, and what it means to be Osage . The primary debates were focused on biology, culture, natural resources, and sovereignty ." </P> <P> The Reform Commission held weekly meetings to develop a referendum that Osage members could vote upon in order to develop and reshape the Osage Nation government and its policies . On March 11, 2006, the people ratified the Constitution in a second referendum vote . Its major provision was to provide "one man, one vote" to each citizen of the nation . Previously, based on the allotment process, persons voted proportionally as shareholders . By a 2 / 3 majority vote, the Osage Nation adopted the new constitutional form of government . It also ratified the definition of membership in the Nation . </P>

Where was the osage tribe located in missouri