In Cattelino’s article on the Seminole tribe, the conflict between tradition and modernity is discussed. The Seminole tribe has had a history of raising cattle and it has “become a marker of Seminole belonging and community identity”, however, their advancements and growth in the industry is continually critiqued as “acculturation”. The idea of The Third Space is illustrated in the article when Cattelino discusses how often Seminole culture and aesthetics are similar to that of a cowboy. He states “the typical midcentury logic contrasted the cowboy with the Indian, but cowboy aesthetics today are Seminole aesthetics” which perfectly counters the usual notion that Native American tribes are copying white culture, when instead it is often the other way around. In addition to cattle, crafts …show more content…
Seminole’s see gaming as only an income source that helps the tribe escape poverty. It is not a replacement of their traditions. The amount of growth the tribe has been able to obtain from the gaming revenues is amazing—from full educational opportunities to expanding cultural institutions—the tribe has not replaced their culture with gaming, but instead utilized the money to better the tribe and each citizen. I think that outside critiques on Native American tribe’s use of gaming for economic development is worthless as long as the tribes themselves are not corrupt, and like the Seminoles, putting the money back into their tribe to improve and preserve it. In Rex Life, Truer also discusses how the use of casinos for economic gain has helped many tribes. For example, the Seminole, Pechanga, and Mashantucket Pequots were able to grow and make profits from casino revenue. However, unlike in Cattelino’s article, which framed casinos as positive, Truer emphasized the struggle tribes have faced with their sovereignty and how they have often been taken to court for their gambling