Introduction

What we know about traditional models of tribal organisations

For as long as we can remember (some evidence dating as early as 5000BC) indigenous peoples have banded together and developed social systems for living and surviving together for their collective benefit (Ronfeldt. 1996). While each group structure and system differed, reflecting their unique cultural, social, and environmental contexts, these groups also often shared many similarities. These kinship groups were formed on the basis of shared ancestors, growing from small family units into larger clans or tribes. They lived completely autonomously, developing their own codes of conduct and economies within a mostly egalitarian society, supported by community and spiritual leadership.

How tribal organisations have evolved to current models of organisation

In modern times the impacts of colonisation, capitalism and technology have had a major influence on the systems that indigenous communities have developed and how they are structured and organised.

Many nations have developed many different types of “registered entities” with their elected boards in order to fit within the legal context of the dominant colonial systems. Table 1 shows the different types of Māori organisations and institutions established that have been establised in Aotearoa NZ and the impact that legislation has on these organisations.

Table 1: Maori Trusts and Incorporations: How Government Legislation affects Sustainable Economic Development

(source: Scrimgeour. 2011)

And while some Indigenous nations have managed to maintain elements of autonomy and self-governance either in practise or in law, (Joseph. 2014) there are many that no longer have this right within their own territories.

Their economies and resources have been redefined by an introduced currency from an invaded state, and an ungovernable market of private enterprises that often have conflicting values.

Challenges with the current models

The development of organisational structures for Indigenous communities within the imposed legal and economic frameworks have created administrative processes and financial values placing decision-making power in the hands of a few individuals and reducing the community organisations ability to respond to community needs (Rata, 2011). Additionally, financial dependency on government funding, grants, and external institutions limits economic sovereignty, making it difficult for communities to sustain long-term initiatives without outside approval or intervention (Paora et al, 2011).

Another major challenge is the dispersed nature of Indigenous populations, with many members living in urban areas or outside their ancestral lands. This diaspora population face challenges connecting to governance and decision-making processes, leading to limited community participation and reduced engagement in local initiatives. Additionally, historical injustices and past experiences of mismanagement have led to a lack of trust and transparency within governance structures, where decisions are often made without broad community input or clear mechanisms for accountability (Rata, 2011).

These challenges create barriers to sustainable development and prevent Indigenous groups from implementing governance models that truly reflect their cultural values and aspirations.

Intentions of this study

This study aims to explore the potential of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) as a model for tribal governance and self-organization. By investigating DAO technologies, we seek to understand their advantages and limitations compared to existing administrative structures. This includes examining how DAOs could enhance transparency, autonomy, community participation and economic sustainability, as well as identifying potential risks such as accessibility barriers, governance challenges, and financial sustainability. A key focus of this research is to develop a framework for community-led design of governance and participation models, ensuring that any proposed solutions align with Indigenous values and decision-making practises. Additionally, we will explore tokenomics—the use of blockchain-based economic systems—to determine how digital assets and incentives could support tribal sustainability and self-determination.

As part of this research, we will conduct real-world experiments in Indigenous community organizations by setting up a Māori-led digital cooperative that will focus on the design, development and delivery of the digital systems needed to support the digital transformations for indigenous organisations. These experiments will provide practical insights into the feasibility of DAO-based governance within Indigenous contexts. Our findings will be shared through a comprehensive guide for Tribal DAO design, covering governance structures, participation mechanisms, and economic models. This will include documentation of the research processes, key learnings from our community experiments, and best practices for implementing DAOs in tribal contexts. By sharing our knowledge, we aim to contribute to the broader discussion on Indigenous self-governance and digital sovereignty, empowering communities to create transparent, decentralized, and culturally relevant organizational models.

LLC’s, NGO’s, NFP’s and now DAO’s

What is a DAO? (Decentralized Autonomous Organization)

A DAO is just another acronym to describe a way of structuring human organisation towards a common purpose. The acronym stands for Decentralized Autonomous Organization which essentially means that it operates without a central authority. Instead of a CEO or board making decisions, a DAO is governed by a community of token holders who vote on proposals. A DAO makes it transparent, community-driven, and decentralized.

Key Features of a DAO

1. Decentralized Governance
   • No single leader—decisions are made collectively by members.
   • Members vote on proposals using governance tokens.
2. Smart Contracts for Automation
   • Rules are coded into smart contracts that execute automatically.
   • Example: If the community votes to fund a project, the smart contract automatically transfers funds.
3. Token-Based Economy
   • Members earn tokens through participation and contribution
   • Tokens can be used for decision making and exchanged for ecosystem resources or external currencies
4. Transparent & Trustless
   • Everything (votes, transactions, rules) is recorded on the blockchain.
   • This reduces the need for intermediaries—reducing corruption and inefficiencies.
5. Community-Driven Treasury
   • The DAO manages its funds in a collective treasury.
   • Funds are distributed only through democratic voting.

Benefits of a DAO

✔ Community-Led Governance – No central authority controlling decisions.

✔ Transparent & Accountable – All transactions and votes are on-chain.

✔ Global & Borderless – People from anywhere can participate.

✔ Autonomous – Smart contracts enforce the rules, reducing human bias.

✔ Efficient Resource Management – Funds are distributed fairly and democratically.

Challenges of a DAO

⚠️ Regulatory Uncertainty – Some governments don’t recognize DAOs as legal entities.

⚠️ Security Risks – Smart contract bugs can be exploited.

⚠️ Voter Apathy – Low participation can centralize decision-making.

⚠️ Onboarding & Education – Members need to understand blockchain and governance.

Examples of Successful DAOs

🔹 Cardano Catalyst – Funds blockchain projects via community voting.

🔹 Gitcoin DAO – Distributes grants for open-source development.

🔹 Uniswap DAO – Governs the Uniswap decentralized exchange.

🔹 Bankless DAO – A decentralized media and education network.

USD, NZD and now BTC

What is Tokenomics?

Tokenomics (Token Economics) refers to the design, distribution, and management of digital tokens within a blockchain ecosystem. Ultimately it defines what a community values, but specifically it defines how a token is created, how it gains value, and how it incentivizes behavior within a decentralized system. Tokenomics includes factors such as supply mechanisms, utility, governance, incentives, and distribution models, all of which determine how tokens function within an economy. A well-designed tokenomics model ensures that tokens serve a meaningful purpose, maintain value, and contribute to the sustainability of the community.

In practice, tokenomics can be used to reward participation, encourage governance, provide liquidity, and sustain community-driven projects. Tokens can act as a medium of exchange, a store of value, or a governance tool that grants holders decision-making power within a community.

Key features of Tokenomics

DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) rely on tokenomics to govern decision-making, incentivize participation, and sustain economic activities within a decentralized community. Tokens in a DAO can be used in several key ways:

1. Governance & Decision-Making
   • DAO members use governance tokens to vote on proposals, allocate resources, and shape policies.
   • The more engaged members are, the greater their voting power (e.g., staking tokens for governance rights).
2. Incentivizing Participation & Contributions
   • Members can earn tokens by contributing to the DAO (e.g., participating in governance, completing tasks, or supporting community initiatives).
   • Example: A Tribal DAO could reward members for land stewardship, cultural preservation, or knowledge sharing.
3. Sustaining Economic Activity
   • Tokenomics allows DAOs to create self-sustaining digital economies by issuing and managing tokens that represent value within the system.
   • Example: A Tribal DAO’s token could be used for community trade, services, or revenue-sharing.
4. Financial Independence & Treasury Management
   • DAOs use treasury-backed tokens to fund community initiatives and allocate resources transparently.
   • Example: A Tribal DAO could collect transaction fees from its marketplace, using the revenue to fund education, housing, or environmental projects.
5. Building Sustainable Local Economies
   • Tokenomics allows Indigenous communities to develop local economies that are not fully dependent on external funding.
   • Members can exchange goods, services, and labor using their own digital currency.

In essence, DAOs and tokenomics work together to create decentralized governance and self-sustaining communities, offering new ways for Indigenous communities to manage resources, incentivize participation, and achieve economic sovereignty.

Benefits of Tokenomics for DAOs

✔  Local Designed Systems – Governance and economic models are designed to match traditional practises and local context.

✔  Incentivized Participation – Engagement and participation is rewarded.

✔  Transparent & Trustless Transactions – Blockchain transparency reduces fraud and mismanagemet.

✔  Sustainable Funding – New revenue generating opportunities based on community activities and resources.

✔  Economic Sovereignty – Communities can control their own digital economy, reducing dependency on state or corporate financial systems.

Challenges of Tokenomics for DAOs

⚠️ Regulatory Uncertainty – Unclear legal frameworks create potential compliance risks.

⚠️ Complexity & Accessibility – Understanding blockchain, wallets, and tokenomics can be a barrier for non-technical community members.

⚠️ Low Adoption & Liquidity Risks – If a token isn’t widely used or lacks exchangeability, its value may remain low, limiting real-world utility.

⚠️ Security Risks & Vulnerabilities – Digital financial and governance systems require different security practises.

⚠️ Power Concentration – If governance tokens are unevenly distributed, wealthier members could centralize decision-making.

Examples of Successful Tokenomics for DAOs

🔹  Cardano Catalyst – ADA token holders vote on funding proposals for ecosystem development.

🔹  Bankless DAO (BANK Token) – Members earn BANK tokens for creating educational content and community engagement.

🔹  Gitcoin Grants (GTC Token) – Contributors earn tokens for funding or building open-source projects.

🔹  Celo (cUSD & cEUR) – A stablecoin-based economy supporting community-led financial inclusion initiatives.

🔹  KlimaDAO – Issues KLIMA tokens that are backed by carbon credits, creating a sustainable environmental funding model.

Tribes, Trusts and now Tribal DAOs

A Tribal DAO is a model for a tribal organisation that is managed digitally and enables all of its community members to engage and participate in the governance and administration of community projects and resources. By ****leveraging blockchain technologies, communities design governance and economic systems that are specific to their cultures, contexts, and aspirations. This provides enables groups to engage and coordinate their entire population, while growing a the communities capacity for self-governance, economic autonomy, and data sovereignty.

Key Features of a Tribal DAO

1. Self-Determination & Sovereignty
   • Allows Indigenous communities to create their own rules, governance systems, and decision-making frameworks without external interference.
   • Can be designed to align with traditional governance models and cultural protocols.
2. Smart Contracts for Governance
   • Uses blockchain-based smart contracts to automate decisions, enforce rules, and distribute resources (e.g., funding, land ownership records, membership rights).
   • Eliminates the need for centralized control, making governance more transparent and accountable.
3. Decentralized Decision-Making
   • Community members vote on proposals using a token-based or identity-based system.
   • Governance models can be customized to reflect Indigenous decision-making traditions, such as consensus-based leadership or elder councils.
4. Resource & Asset Management
   • Manages tribal funds, digital assets and resources in a secure and transparent way.
   • Could facilitate financial collaboration, the development of and revenue sharing from community enterprises, lands, or intellectual property.
5. Identity & Membership Verification
   • Uses decentralized identity (DID) solutions to verify and protect tribal membership, ensuring only recognized members participate in governance.
   • Prevents external interference or exploitation of Indigenous identity.
6. Cultural & Legal Adaptability
   • Can integrate traditional laws, oral agreements, and customary governance practices.
   • May interact with existing legal systems to advocate for Indigenous digital sovereignty.

Benefits of a Tribal DAO

✔ Maintains Cultural & Economic Sovereignty – Enables Indigenous communities to govern themselves without external interference.

✔ Increases Transparency & Trust – Every decision and transaction is publicly recorded, reducing corruption and mismanagement.

✔ Empowers Remote & Diaspora Members – Allows tribal members from all over the world to participate in governance and decision-making.

✔ Creates a Self-Sustaining Local Economy – Uses tokenomics to incentivize participation and reduce reliance on government funding.

✔ Efficient Resource Allocation – Smart contracts automate payments, grants, and financial management, ensuring funds go to approved projects.

Challenges & Considerations

⚠️ Technology Access: Ensuring all community members can access and use the blockchain-based system.

⚠️ Legal Recognition: Navigating interactions with national governments and legal systems.

⚠️ Adapting Traditional Governance to Blockchain: Balancing modern tech with Indigenous governance customs.

⚠️ Scalability & Adoption – A DAO needs widespread adoption within the community to function effectively.

Examples of How a Tribal DAO Might Be Used

🔹  Land Stewardship: Managing Indigenous lands using blockchain-based registries, ensuring community-controlled access and use.

🔹  Funding Distribution: Allocating funds transparently to projects like education, infrastructure, or cultural preservation.

🔹  Digital Heritage Protection: Controlling how Indigenous knowledge, language, and art are shared and monetized.

🔹  Community Decision-Making: Facilitating democratic governance through tokenised voting mechanisms.

How a Tribal DAO Operates in Practice

Step 1: Formation and Membership

• Community leaders initialise community digital infrastructure
  • membership and registration system (citizenship and communications)
  • rules building platform (governance and legislation)
  • treasury management and tokenomics system (treasury and currency)
  • community engagement and participation modules (research and development)
• Community members join their TribalDAO through a mobile application and receive governance tokens.

Step 2: Rules development

• Community members collaboratively work and vote on the rules and activities that will manage the governance and Tokenomics of the DAO
• Smart contracts are generated based on rules that have been voted on and supported by the community

Step 3: Treasury and Financial Management

• Smart contracts are published on chain and initiate the creation of the Treasury and community tokens.
• Tokens are distributed and purchased by community members and stakeholders to catalyse participation and generate value for tokens and funds for the Treasury.
• The community continues to manage the Treasury, distributing funds based on the established rules.

Step 4: Community Engagement & Sustainability

• Admins setup and connect community activity Dapps (e.g storytelling, mapping, surveys, fundraising, projects, etc)
• Members participate through the connected dapp activities earning tokens funded by the Treasury (e.g contributing stories, adding to maps, completing surveys, completing project tasks)
• The local economy grows as more members and businesses accept and exchange community tokens.
• Members can exchange community tokens for national currencies for use outside of the ecosystem.
• Smart contracts ensure fair distribution of funds, token value, and transparent reporting of community contributions

Why a Tribal DAO?

A Tribal DAO creates a decentralized, transparent, and self-sustaining governance system that allows Indigenous communities to exercise sovereignty over their resources, economy, and cultural heritage. By integrating blockchain technology with traditional governance structures, DAOs can empower Indigenous peoples to control their financial and political future, reducing reliance on external institutions and ensuring that community-driven decision-making remains at the heart of governance.

Exploration and Experimentation

We plan to explore and experiment with Tribal DAOs by launching Matou DAO. It will serve as a living prototype for governance, tokenomics and digital infrastructure development. Through community-led exploration, we will test different governance models, token-based incentives, and decentralized funding mechanisms, sharing our journey along the way. By providing open-source infrastructure, technical support, and funding opportunities, Matou DAO will act as a collaborative innovation hub, allowing Tribal DAOs to co-develop, test, and refine blockchain-based governance systems that enhance autonomy, transparency, and economic sustainability.

Matou DAO: A Decentralised Infrastructure DAO for Supporting Tribal DAOs

Matou DAO (meaning “Us” in Māori) is an ****Indigenous lead DAO designed to fund, develop, and maintain the Indigenous Digital Infrastructure (IDI) ecosystem that enables Tribal DAOs to govern themselves effectively. Its activities include coordinating resources, technical expertise, and funding to build secure, accessible nation building digital tools for Indigenous governance and economic development.

Core Purpose of Matou DAO

1. Develop Digital Infrastructure for Tribal DAOs
   • Build custom digital tools for Indigenous organisation, governance, and economy.
   • Provide customisable DAO creation templates and modules for different tribal structures.
   • Offer secure identity & membership systems for Tribal DAOs.
2. Fund & Support Tribal DAO Development
   • Provide grants and funding for Tribal DAOs setting up digital governance.
   • Create a shared treasury that funds IDI ecosystem projects.
   • Establish a support network for technical and governance expertise.
3. Enable Digital Sovereignty & Economic Independence
   • Enable to
   • Support self-sustaining token economies for local tribal governance.
   • Ensure cultural and intellectual property protection using blockchain.
   • Ensure
4. Create Shared Governance & Representation
   • Indigenous communities worldwide can join Matou DAO and participate in decision-making.
   • Governance model ensures equal representation for different Indigenous groups.
   • Operates as a network of networks, empowering local self-governance while providing shared resources.

Matou DAO Governance Model

Multi-Layered Indigenous Representation

The Matou governance structure is built on a two-house model that balances collective authority with individual expertise. It prioritizes community sovereignty, allowing Tribal DAOs to set and maintain the overall direction of Matou DAO, while also recognizing the value of skilled contributors who determine how that direction is implemented through technical and operational decisions.

• Two-house model:
  • Community Leaders – TribalDAO Leaders using the digital infrastructure and core contributors (community founders and identified major contributors) set the DAO values and strategy. They also have the ability to veto any community decisions that don’t align with the DAO values and strategy.
  • Contributors & Supporters – Work on technical, economic, and operational implementation of the DAO values and strategy.

Token-Based Governance

Matou DAO uses a token-based governance model that reflects the roles of its two governing groups. Tribal DAOs hold governance tokens that allow them to propose and vote on the strategic direction and priorities of the DAO, ensuring decisions are rooted in community needs and values. Meanwhile, contributors and builders use tokens to vote on how to implement those decisions—allocating resources, developing infrastructure, and managing operations—ensuring technical execution aligns with the shared vision.

• Community Governance Token ($CommunityToken) –
  • Non-transferable tokens that can be claimed by TribalDAO’s that use the IDI.
  • Tokens are issued based on their IDI activity.
  • Used to vote on community rules, values and strategies.
• Contributor Governance Token ($ContributorToken)
  • Non-transferable tokens that can be claimed by MatouDAO members based on activity.
  • Used to vote on implementations of rules, values and strategies.

Matou DAO Tokenomics Model

Matou Token – $UtilityToken

• Treasury Access – Tribal DAOs stake $MAT to apply for funding.
• Ecosystem Rewards – Developers, educators, and community members earn $MAT for contributions.

Treasury & Sustainability Model

• Treasury is funded by:
  • Grants from Web3 foundations & research and innovation funds.
  • Revenue from IDI fees and services (application and transaction fees, hosted services, ID verifications, DAO contracts, education, consulting).
  • Partnerships with ethical blockchain networks & governments.
• Funds are allocated through governance mechanisms to support projects.

Key Infrastructure & Services Matou DAO Will Provide

Tribal DAO Toolkit

• DAO Templates – Pre-built smart contracts for governance, voting, and funding.
• Identity & Membership – Decentralized ID and tribal registry solutions for Tribal DAOs.
• Data Management – Local and ecosystem data management and hosting services.
• Governance & Decision Making – Customizable decision-making models that align with traditional governance.
• Community Tokenomics – Help tribes create local token economies.
• Advanced Customisation Tools - Enabling community systems to reflect local requirements and practises ****
• Application Standardization - Tools to support community development of further IDI applications.

Education & Capacity Building

• Training and Capacity Development – DAO implementation training and support, including technology, rules, governance and tokenomics development and implementation.
• Community & Technical Support – Provide support for Matou DAO community coordination and technical support for the IDI.

Roadmap for Matou DAO

Phase 1: Research & Formation (0-6 Months)

✅ Conduct consultations with Indigenous leaders & technical experts.

✅ Establish governance & tokenomics model.

✅ Build a community treasury & initial funding pool.

Phase 2: Develop Core Infrastructure (6-12 Months)

✅ Launch Matou DAO governance platform.

✅ Deploy DAO creation templates for tribes.

✅ Roll out first funding round for TribalDAO deployments.

Phase 3: Growth & Adoption (1-2 Years)

✅ Expand partnerships with Indigenous groups worldwide.

✅ Develop further ecosystem applications to support community activities and projects.

✅ Scale training programs & mentorship for Indigenous Web3 adoption.

Why Matou DAO Matters

✔ Empowers Indigenous Self-Governance – Gives communities the tools to govern digitally without external control.

✔ Creates Shared Digital Infrastructure – Builds Web3 tools specifically for Indigenous governance, economy, and culture.

✔ Ensures Long-Term Sustainability – Matou DAO’s funding model ensures ongoing support for Tribal DAOs.

✔ Preserves Cultural Integrity in a Digital World – Protects Indigenous knowledge, land rights, and decision-making traditions.

Closing

To learn more about this project and our broader mission to support Indigenous digital sovereignty, we invite you to visit matou.nz. There, you’ll find background on our team, our work, and ongoing updates as we bring this project to life. We welcome your support, collaboration, and feedback as we continue to build pathways toward a more just, resilient, and indigenous-led digital future.

References

Ronfeldt, David, Tribes, Institutions, Markets, Networks: A Framework About Societal Evolution. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1996. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P7967.html. Also available in print form.

Scrimgeour, Frank & Iremonger, Catherine. (2011). Maori Sustainable Economic Development in New Zealand: Indigenous Practices for the Quadruple Bottom Line.

Joseph, Robert. (2014). Indigenous Peoples’ Good Governance, Human Rights and Self-Determination in the Second Decade of the New Millennium – A Māori Perspective 2014 https://maorilawreview.co.nz/2014/12/indigenous-peoples-good-governance-human-rights-and-self-determination-in-the-second-decade-of-the-new-millennium-a-maori-perspective/

Rata, Elizabeth. (2011). Discursive Strategies of the Maori Tribal Elite. Critique of Anthropology - CRIT ANTHR. 31. 359-380. 10.1177/0308275X11420116.

Paora, Ropata & Tuiono, Teanau & Flavell, Te & Hawksley, Charles & Howson, Richard. (2011). Tino Rangatiratanga and Mana Motuhake: Nation, state and self-determination in Aotearoa New Zealand. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples. 7. 246-257.