Race, "face," and American Indian Nations: Native American Identity in Southern New England
- ISBN-10
- 126743743X
- ISBN-13
- 9781267437433
- Pages
- 263
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2012
- Authors
- University of Chicago, Denene Anne-Marguerite De Quintal
Description
The pressure from both inside and outside of this community to be "authentic" Indians creates turmoil for these tribes who find themselves constantly explaining and defending their Native American identity. I concluded that both racial ideologies and the physical characteristics of race influence Native American identity in Southern New England. Native Americans in this area countermand claims they are not authentic Indians through kinship ties, community involvement, and community institutions, such as family owned Native museums. I also discovered that within the Native community, there are tensions about inclusion and exclusion based on race, but kinship ties and community involvement mitigate these concerns.
