The Indians certainly didn't live like super citizens while their treaty rights were being ignored, the agreed to items to be furnished by the Great White Father in the treaties were not provided and all the rest of it. It's only been in the last years that they have finally been able to create some wealth for themselves.
Are you aware that there may be as much as 40 billion, yep- billion, dollars misappropriated from the oil, gas and other leases from the trusts of the BI, Fish-Bite?.
I'm not suggesting that this some how makes it ok for the whale hunt, but if you are going to suggest that Indians have supercitizen status, you should do some research on how things have been until the last few years. It just points out your own personal ignorance.