Cash, Color, and Colonialism by Renee Ann Cramer - Review - Essay Example

In an examination of the actual process of recognition, Cramer argues that economic, social, cultural, and political aspects strongly influence the recognition of Native American peoples. More particularly, she claims that the colonial relationship between Native Americans and the White people, issues of race, and gaming interests largely influence the decision of the BAR to approve or reject an application. The discourse on federal Indian regulation and tribal political law has primarily been the area of concern of legal scholars.

This issue, as argued by Cramer, is complex, puzzling, and conflicting. There are a huge number of Native American tribes that have been granted official recognition by the federal government, and every period has its own language, legacy, and history. Not like other U.S. governments, tribal administrations do not have legal foundation; thus, they have been traditionally viewed by the federal government as self-governing dependent entities, government districts, and foreign units. All of these aspects have resulted in the marginalization of Native American peoples.

Official recognition by the federal government is the crucial aspect in the success of Native American peoples in preserving its ancestral domain, economy, heritage, and autonomy. Without official recognition, an ethnic group will remain unidentified, despite heritage. Within the framework of federal Indian law, official recognition creates an agreement between the American government and Native American tribes. This agreement grants several privileges to the tribes, such as gaming rights and reclamation rights.

But several ethnic groups have not been officially recognized. This fact encouraged Cramer to comprehensively examine the bureaucratic process of federal recognition, situating her analysis in a broader cultural, legal, and historical perspective. She believes that the process of federal recognition can only be correctly