Native American Identity and Noah

Sherman Alexie has an answer to that question in Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, specifically when the narrator is returning home from Seattle. He quotes an old Indian poet, saying, "Indians can reside in the city, but they can never live there." To me, this means that the Indians preserve their identity by living together, away from outside influences (whether being separated is a choice or not).

I find it interesting that in the story, one of the few Indians from the reservation to go out and live with the white people went to Seattle, which is named after Chief Seattle, an Indian who participated in the culture of the settlers. That is, he was baptized, and took on a more western name: Noah. The narrator was probably suposed to be based on Noah, because, like Noah, the narrator is expected to "rise above the rest" (Chief Seattle had a large reputation at a young age).