What Path for the Native American: Traditional or Contemporary?

The traditional ways of American Indian life and the more contemporary life styles are described in this paper. The conflicts which currently exist between the Native American subcultures and the mass culture are described in terms of "culture clash". It is noted that the traditional values of Native American societies were deeply rooted in their religious beliefs. The harmonious blending of the individual and the group with the forces of nature in the traditional Indian way is in conflict with the mass culture. Other areas in which this conflict occurs include tribal government, the concept of power, the social environment, and justice. The influences of the American Indian Movement and the Bureau of Indian Affairs on various areas of this conflict are described. (PS)