Two characteristics of the government existing in Sherman Alexis’s poem but not shown (the US Government) is tyrannical and selfish. Tyrannical because indigenous people’s lives were controlled in every aspect. Where they lived, how much money they had, what school they went to and more. Selfish because the land that was rightfully the natives were stripped for them only to be told where they could live and how much land they were able to have. Millions of acres reduced to small reservations. Bountiful resources now turned to drugs, alcohol and poor nutrition. Rather than sharing resources they keep as much to themselves as possible. The government shown in the poem, the tribal government, is one that is giving. They try to help their community with what they have. They are also traditional, tribe governments have been around in many indigenous cultures.