[quote=The Nexerus]
Nuclear wastelands devoid of most of their original plant and animal life don't encourage the formation of societies dependent on plants and animals.
[/quote]

Then society as it is in Fallout shouldn't exist as well since our survival is just as well dependent on the relations we have to plants and animals as Native American - and any tribal culture for that matter - is dependent on it. We may not be running out with a wolf pelt thrown over our backs to hunt bison with a flint knife clutched between our teeth like pre-colombian American societies, but we sure as hell need them. What's important isn't the core factor between what makes a "tribal" society or a "complex" western society, that's an entire inter-working network of environmental factors that ultimately shape our society.

We sure as hell don't worship maze or wheat anymore, but it doesn't make it any less important to anyone as a people. A society modeling themselves on north-western Indian tribes would have food as important a thing as anyone else.

And there's also forgotten the emulation aspect. Romans don't exist any more. But that didn't stop Caesar from fashioning himself as a Roman Emperor. All it would take are groups finding the remains of pre-war buildings, books, or whatever paying homage (whether in a stripped-down commercial respect or by finding books) and building themselves on it. A society of Cigar Store Indian if you will.