Session

Language and Culture

Description

This paper revisits the controversial debates regarding casinos on Native American Reservations. Gambling on Native Indian reservations is a fairly recent phenomenon dating from the 80s. Gaming on native land raised a number of questions, ranging from legal issues to cultural tensions which excelled with surrounding communities. However, gaming on Native American land created a new image of the previously unimaginable “rich Indian” and it thus shook the myths about Native Americans. Gaming on native land has therefore disturbed the two most dominant perceptions about Natives – that of the inferior, savage, oppressed on the one hand, and the noble savage on the other. The paper will refer to several anthropological studies on gaming on Native American land comparing it to the prevalent imagery of Natives and the contemporary stereotypes (especially those portrayed through Hollywood) still associated with them. The financial profit of casinos has brought a new level of economic, political, social, and legal power to the Native Americans and created the new image of the “rich Indian”. The crossroad at which this “new Indian” and the typical definitions and ideas about what constitutes an Indian meet and conflict each other is the central theme of this paper.

Keywords:

casino, gambling, Native American gaming, Native American land, indigenous

Proceedings Editor

Edmond Hajrizi

ISBN

978-9951-550-47-5

First Page

1

Last Page

7

Location

UBT Kampus, Lipjan

Start Date

30-10-2021 12:00 AM

End Date

30-10-2021 12:00 AM

DOI

10.33107/ubt-ic.2021.367

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Oct 30th, 12:00 AM Oct 30th, 12:00 AM

Reflections on Indian Casino Gaming and the Image of the “Rich Indian”

UBT Kampus, Lipjan

This paper revisits the controversial debates regarding casinos on Native American Reservations. Gambling on Native Indian reservations is a fairly recent phenomenon dating from the 80s. Gaming on native land raised a number of questions, ranging from legal issues to cultural tensions which excelled with surrounding communities. However, gaming on Native American land created a new image of the previously unimaginable “rich Indian” and it thus shook the myths about Native Americans. Gaming on native land has therefore disturbed the two most dominant perceptions about Natives – that of the inferior, savage, oppressed on the one hand, and the noble savage on the other. The paper will refer to several anthropological studies on gaming on Native American land comparing it to the prevalent imagery of Natives and the contemporary stereotypes (especially those portrayed through Hollywood) still associated with them. The financial profit of casinos has brought a new level of economic, political, social, and legal power to the Native Americans and created the new image of the “rich Indian”. The crossroad at which this “new Indian” and the typical definitions and ideas about what constitutes an Indian meet and conflict each other is the central theme of this paper.