Becoming the White Man's Indian: An examination of native American tribal web sites

This paper examines Native Americans' self-representation on tribally maintained web sires. To investigate the motivation for the selection of one representative image over another the content and expected audience of tribal web sites are examined, with particular attention given to any discernible patterning between these two variables. Based on a survey of all web sites maintained by federally recognized tribes, a correlation exists between audience and content. Specifically web sites directed toward a broader audience use more stereotypical images of Native Americans, whereas sites used by a particular native community emphasize a more specific tribal identity. This pattern demonstrates the multifaceted nature of identity, i.e., identity is situational and adaptive and can serve multiple purposes.