When Seminole casinos in Florida were first inaugurated in the mid 20th Century, they were a source of pride for the Seminoles because they innovated on indigenous economic development, and, in doing so, made the indigenous group more autonomous through the influx of gambling revenues. Although Seminole casinos have spurred controversies over indigenous ethnic authenticity, these establishments have been and remain vital in re-defining the ethnic group’s political and economic sovereignty under an assimilated modern context.
The capitalist nature of the casino business presents a stark contrast to the popular connotation of the humble, isolated Indian. This contradiction is discredited, however, with Jessica Cattelino’s concept of the fungibility …show more content…
In order to achieve this balance of autonomy and political leverage, Seminole leaders have made the casino business an instrument of interdependent sovereignty. On one hand, there is interdependency between the US Government and the Indigenous authorities representing their sovereign communities. The National Indian Gaming association exemplifies how various indigenous groups have come together to communicate their gaming demands and interests to Federal authorities. On the other hand, the casino business also spurs commercial relations between indigenous groups. These intertribal capital interactions between diverse ethnic minorities relate to Benedict Anderson’s Print Capitalism. In Anderson’s view, mass production and distribution of texts as business made vernacular works popular throughout nations and catalyzed the political fragmentation of Western Europe in the 16th Century. Thus, in a similar fashion, American indigenous groups that depend on gaming to sustain their sovereignty seek to emphasize that they are divergent societies, not a racially unified guild. At the same time, these groups benefit from healthy economic competition within the Casino …show more content…
However, the Seminole approach to sovereignty by assimilating their economic activities to the profitable casino business is a standout case that directly opposes the approach of Zapatistas and Kayapo people in Mexico. The ideological orthodoxy displayed by indigenous leaders in Out of the Forest illustrates how Mexican indigenous minorities like the Kapayo are unwilling to assimilate western practices and be integrated into Mexican mestizo society. With the discourse of cultural loss as their reason for isolation, the Kapayo have maintained subsistence agriculture practices as their main economic activity. This custom comes from Mesoamerican heritage, which includes diverse indigenous groups (Zapotecs, Toltecs, Mexica, etc.). Moreover, the Kayapo have limited the use of modern technology in their community as a sign of nearness to nature. These limitations are problematic, for they act as obstacles for development and cooperation between the Federal Government and these autonomous
The capitalist nature of the casino business presents a stark contrast to the popular connotation of the humble, isolated Indian. This contradiction is discredited, however, with Jessica Cattelino’s concept of the fungibility …show more content…
In order to achieve this balance of autonomy and political leverage, Seminole leaders have made the casino business an instrument of interdependent sovereignty. On one hand, there is interdependency between the US Government and the Indigenous authorities representing their sovereign communities. The National Indian Gaming association exemplifies how various indigenous groups have come together to communicate their gaming demands and interests to Federal authorities. On the other hand, the casino business also spurs commercial relations between indigenous groups. These intertribal capital interactions between diverse ethnic minorities relate to Benedict Anderson’s Print Capitalism. In Anderson’s view, mass production and distribution of texts as business made vernacular works popular throughout nations and catalyzed the political fragmentation of Western Europe in the 16th Century. Thus, in a similar fashion, American indigenous groups that depend on gaming to sustain their sovereignty seek to emphasize that they are divergent societies, not a racially unified guild. At the same time, these groups benefit from healthy economic competition within the Casino …show more content…
However, the Seminole approach to sovereignty by assimilating their economic activities to the profitable casino business is a standout case that directly opposes the approach of Zapatistas and Kayapo people in Mexico. The ideological orthodoxy displayed by indigenous leaders in Out of the Forest illustrates how Mexican indigenous minorities like the Kapayo are unwilling to assimilate western practices and be integrated into Mexican mestizo society. With the discourse of cultural loss as their reason for isolation, the Kapayo have maintained subsistence agriculture practices as their main economic activity. This custom comes from Mesoamerican heritage, which includes diverse indigenous groups (Zapotecs, Toltecs, Mexica, etc.). Moreover, the Kayapo have limited the use of modern technology in their community as a sign of nearness to nature. These limitations are problematic, for they act as obstacles for development and cooperation between the Federal Government and these autonomous