Cultural Border: American Indian Communities Across the US-Canadian Border

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Cultural Borders
Analysis 1
One significant cultural border(land) issue relates to the American Indian communities situated across the US-Canadian border. Long before the colonization of North America, the Tuscarora Nation (a Native American tribe that originally occupied parts of North Carolina but moved north and partially into Canada) passed freely across their land. However, the coming of the European settlers and the subsequent forming of American and Canadian governments resulted in the setting up of a border to separate the two jurisdictions. The Tuscarora Nation was one of the many Native American tribes affected by the institution of the US-Canadian border: the border cut through the tribe and separated entire families. American history, both past and present, consists of border nations like the Tuscarora Nation. When the white colonizers drew the US-Canadian border, they simply bisected the Native American nations living across the border, effectively ending cross-border movement by tribe members. The US government intensified border control and security after the 9/11 attacks.
Owing to the enduring threat of terrorists, illegal immigrants, and criminals crossing the US-Canadian border, the US government has intensified border control to strengthen national security: what was once the “longest undefended border” is now patrolled by federal, state, and local agencies. The Tuscarora Nation has been severely impacted by the imposed borders since cross-border interactions between members of the Tuscarora Nation are no longer possible. For instance, not only are customs and goods controlled when crossing the US-Canadian border but the movement of people is severely restricted. Crossing the border depends on citizenship as well as ethnicity: only those who classify as “Native” under Canadian and American law are allowed passage. The human aspect of cross-border interactions between members of the Tuscarora Nation is often ignored since the level of cultural permeability relies on citizenship. For many Native Americans who do not strictly classify as “Native” under Canadian and American law, interacting with other tribe members on the other side of the border is near impossible.
The US-Canadian border is therefore a cultural barrier more than a bridge since members of the Tuscarora Nation cannot rebuild kinship or even cultural links. Border nations situated across the northern border also demonstrate a negative borderland-culture. Members of the border nation have more in common with their tribespeople on the other side of the border than with American citizens. Just like other American Indian tribes spread across the country, the Tuscarora Nation find themselves on the margins of American society. The borderlands of the Native American group are culturally isolated from the mainstream white culture: members of the Tuscarora Nation struggle with their multicultural identities as indigenous peoples and Americans. Moreover, the borderland society is subject to opposing socialization processes, which unlike the mainstream white culture, takes place in a sophisticated, political, and social setting. Members of the Tuscarora Nation encounter dynamic e...