Primarily historical, the study examines the case of one absentee Native American band struggling to establish its identity and directions for a more prosperous future, and projects the implications of their situation for their intercultural relations. The central research question asks what are the intercultural communication problems which result from the questionable status of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw? Major sections elaborate on the current status of the band; salient issues entailed by their current status are identified; and implications of intercultural communication are discussed. (Author/PB)