Economics of Native American Stereotypes

In honor of my full stomach from two Thanksgiving dinners (two more to go tomorrow) I ask this question: What factor determines how historically authentic Native American tribes portray themselves? You might think it's how much time they spend with other tribes. It's actually the opposite, it's the tourists:

The framing analysis found that nearly 4 out of 10 tribes with casinos represent their own identities using the historic relic frame—primarily relying on the exotic Other, such as tepees and stoic chiefs in headdresses, locked in the past. In contrast, only 1 in 10 of the tribes without casinos communicates the same identity, instead being more likely to display a voiced participant frame of modern images and assertions of sovereignty and resistance.

Happy (Economics of) Thanksgiving