Collier's reputation among the Indians was mixed—praised by some, vilified by others. He antagonized the Navajo, the largest tribe, as well as the Seneca people, Iroquois, and many others. Anthropologists criticized him for not recognizing the diversity of Native American lifestyles. Hauptman argues that his emphasis on Northern Pueblo arts and crafts and the uniformity of his approach to all tribes are partly explained by his belief that his tenure as Commissioner would be short, meaning that packaging large, lengthy legislative reforms seemed politically necessary.