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Native American identity in the United States is an evolving topic based on the struggle to define "Native American" or "(American) Indian" both for people who consider themselves Native American and for people who do not. Some people seek an identity that will provide for a stable definition for legal, social, and personal purposes. There are a number of different factors which have been used to define "Indianness," and the source and potential use of the definition play a role in what definition is used. Facets which characterize "Indianness" include culture, society, genes/biology, law, and self-identity.〔Garroutte (2003), Paredes (1995)〕 An important question is whether the definition should be dynamic and changeable across time and situation, or whether it is possible to define "Indianness" in a static way.〔Peroff (1997) p487〕 The dynamic definitions may be based in how Indians adapt and adjust to dominant society, which may be called an "oppositional process" by which the boundaries between Indians and the dominant groups are maintained. Another reason for dynamic definitions is the process of "ethnogenesis", which is the process by which the ethnic identity of the group is developed and renewed as social organizations and cultures evolve.〔 The question of identity, especially aboriginal identity, is common in many societies worldwide.〔 The future of their identity is extremely important to Native Americans. Activist Russell Means bemoans the crumbling Indian way of life, the loss of traditions, languages, and sacred places. He remarks that there may soon be no more Native Americans, only "Native American Americans, like Polish Americans and Italian Americans." As the number of Indians has grown (ten times as many today as in 1890), the number who carry on tribal traditions shrinks (one fifth as many as in 1890), as has been common among many ethnic groups over time. Means says, "We might speak our language, we might look like Indians and sound like Indians, but we won’t be Indians."〔Peroff (1997) p492〕 ==Definitions== There are various ways in which Indian identity has been defined. Some definitions seek universal applicability, while others only seek definitions for particular purposes, such as for tribal membership or for the purposes of legal jurisdiction.〔Bowen (2000)〕 The individual seeks to have a personal identity that matches social and legal definitions, although perhaps any definition will fail to categorize correctly the identity of everyone.〔Garroutte (2003)〕 American Indians were perhaps clearly identifiable at the turn of the 20th century, but today the concept is contested. Malcolm Margolin, co-editor of ''News From Native California'' muses, "I don’t know what an Indian is... () Some people are clearly Indian, and some are clearly not."〔Peroff (1997) p489 quoting Fost (1991) p. 28〕 Cherokee Chief (from 1985–1995) Wilma Mankiller echoes: "An Indian is an Indian regardless of the degree of Indian blood or which little government card they do or do not possess."〔Sheffield p107-108 quoted from Hales 1990b: 3A - Hales, Donna. 1990a "Tribe Touts Unregistered Artists", Muskogee (Okla.) ''Daily Phoenix'', September 3, 1990 1A 10A〕 Further, it is difficult to know what might be meant by any Native American ''racial'' identity. Race is a disputed term, but is often said to be a social (or political) rather than biological construct. The issue of Native American racial identity is discussed in Russell (2002, p68), "American Indians have always had the theoretical option of removing themselves from a tribal community and becoming legally white. American law has made it easy for Indians to disappear because that disappearance has always been necessary to the 'Manifest Destiny' that the United States span the continent that was, after all, occupied." Russell contrasts this with the reminder that Native Americans are "members of communities before members of a race."〔Russell (2002) p68 is quoting López (1994) p55〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Native American identity in the United States」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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