American Indian Culture and Research Journal

Many theorists are pondering the relationship of distinctive groups of people within the United States, trying to understand what contributes to the overall stability of a nation-state composed of people from varied cultures. While the difference between cultures is one way to think about the problems of citizenship, this article opens a new discussion about Native Americans, a discussion of the differences between political systems. Unlike the discussion from many disciplines that examines the merits of limited diversity and multiculturalism for stability, I argue that members of indigenous nations bring a diversity to the dominant society that is not only unique, but is also contingent upon the integrity of tribal political boundaries within the United States. Here, I explore some of the historical pressures forming the political identities of Native people, especially the pressure by the United States on Native people to abandon tribal political systems and boundaries. Some forms of that pressure are commonly known, such as removals from homelands, relocations, and the mandatory education of Indian children in federal boarding schools.