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S MALLPOX OR N EW B UFFALO
What’s the Right Analogy for Indian Gaming?
By Shalin Hai-Jew

A BSTRACT :
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The social and cultural frame surfaces issues of traditional beliefs and Native identity, the projection of authentic tribal culture, and the importance of tribal unity historically. This case asks learners to consider how to maintain these values in an environment of economic globalization, which may force the issue of economic development and Native American selfsufficiency.
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L EARNING O UTCOMES
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Investigate the styling and branding of
Native American casinos and typical customers
Explore the social impacts and public relations issues surrounding Indian gaming both for the tribe and larger society
Understand the internal and external public relations piece (and strategies) in running casinos (and their various publics)
Understand the essential cultural vs. utilitarian stresses in the issues related to
Indian gaming
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L EARNING O UTCOMES ( CONT .)
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Understand how casinos support and disseminate Native culture and the arts
Know the intrinsic human and hedonic needs satisfied by gaming
Explore various Native American spiritual beliefs and gaming
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T RADITIONAL B ELIEFS
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Gaming has been a part of Native culture historically to redistribute wealth and circulate possessions within a community
Profit as a motive for gaming is a more modern concept
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N ATIVE I DENTITY
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There’s a wide range of diversity within the
Native American identity and community
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H ISTORICAL N OTE
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“At the time of first European contact with native peoples in North America, there were approximately 1,000 different tribes, representing a huge array of languages and numerous sub-dialects. Each of these tribes had its own religious practices, social structures, governmental organization, gender division, dress, customs, and rituals. Today, this number has declined to approximately 511 culturally distinct, federally recognized tribes and about an additional 200 unrecognized tribes. And of these remaining tribes, the populations of each have dramatically declined from the time of colonialization through disease and oppression over the past 300 years” (Darian-Smith, 2004, p.
18).
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I NDIAN I DENTITY : A UTHENTICITY VS .
“P APER T RIBES ”
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Various proofs needed by the federal government before official recognition as a Native tribe is extended
Tribes themselves may require blood quantum, documentation and proofs of lineal descent
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F USION ? P AN -I NDIAN T RIBES / S UPRA -
T RIBALISM
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Cornell (1988), however, sees a “supra-tribalism” emerging with the increased mobility of Indian peoples through the powwow circuit and recent activist social movements, which may lead to a sharing of benefits and more unity in Indian
Country (as cited by Fenelon, Nov. 2006, p. 395).
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T RADITIONAL VS . M ODERN I DENTITY
TRADITIONAL
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Tracks blood quantum
Tracks language
Tracks lineal descent lines
Uses proofs
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Tracks individual sense of identity
Tracks family claims
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Identity is selfdefined, not for non-
Indians to decide
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P ROJECTING AND P ROTECTING
A UTHENTIC N ATIVE A MERICAN
C ULTURE
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Not using Native American spiritual beliefs for commercialism
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Fighting mainstream stereotypes by engaging the larger community
VS.
Knowledge and culture have economic “exchange value”
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S OCIAL C HANGE E FFECTS C ONCERNS
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Individualism vs. communalism
Greater economic assimilation of tribes into the mainstream free market economy
Materialism over spiritualism
Competition between Native Americans
“Hedonic treadmill” effect vs. traditional gratefulness and humbleness
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U NITY AMONG T RIBES
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Need to protect relationships between Native
Americans
Keeping the disparity between the “haves” and the “have-nots” in the Native American community low
Encouraging sense of community around an
Indian casino
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R OLE P LAYING
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Scenario: The scenario is that the tribe seems to be going forward with building a tribal casino. The tribe members are very concerned about how they will be represented to the larger community and their casino-visiting guests. They want policies and practices in place to support the local tribe’s cultures. They want to discuss how potential profits may be spent in a way that is culturally sensitive.
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R OLES AND S TANCES
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Have learners choose various roles. Have them research what an individual or group in their role may think, and have them argue a coherent stand. Allow room for changes and shifts in ideas if particular aims are met.
Have them keep the aims private generally unless they feel it’s strategically helpful to share that with the group. See what sort of final agreement the various individuals may come to.
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ROLES
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Tribal Elders:
Larger Outside Community:
Tribal Community Members: A diversity of voices should be represented here.
Tribal Museum Curator:
Language Instructor in the Native Language:
K-12 Schools on the Tribe:
A Tribal College:
The Youth of a Tribe:
Tribal Environmentalists:
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C ONCLUSION
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