iCross-Cultural Citizen Project- The Everglades: Miccosukee Style: Miccosukee Art

Monday, July 22, 2013

Miccosukee Art

The Miccosukee Indian Tribe originally migrated to Florida from the Creek Nation. Although the Miccosukee Indian Tribe are not originally from Florida, they currently reside in the center of the Florida Everglades. Through their migration, many would think the Miccosukee Indian Tribe would have baptized the traditions and cultures of floridians, but instead they still continue to follow in their rich culture and follow their Tribal Customs and Activities. These activities include Woodwork, Basket weaving, Beadwork, and Patchwork. Also located in Florida is a museum by the name of Miccosukee Indian Museum. Within this prestigious museum, many culturally significant artifacts from the Miccosukee Indian Tribe is being held. Items such as Tribal artifacts, Unique Miccosukee clothing, Native paintings, Special cooking utensils, Rarely seen photographs and Informative film.

Citation: Zoo27
2011 Welcome to the Miccosukee Indian Village. Tribal Customs and Activities — Yours to Discover. Electronic document, http://www.miccosukee.com/indian_village, accessed July 22

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Mission

Miccosukee Tribe of Indians is a federally recognized Indian Tribe residing in the historic Florida Everglades-an area referred to as a "River of Grass" by legendary environmental and social activist Marjory Stoneman Douglas. In their own Miccosukee language, the Tribe uses the word "Kahayatle" to refer to the shimmering waters of this natural treasure. In fact, Ms, Douglas traces the etymology of the word "Everglades" revealing that it originates from the same description of the quality of light glimmering on the grassy waters.

Vision

Values

The Miccosukee Tribe is looking towards the future with great expectations. However, Tribal leadership recognizes much remains to be done to ensure that the Miccosukee people can continue to be themselves in a constantly changing world. A key to this cultural survival is in the values and underlying philosophy of the traditional way of life. Values and traditions will not flourish unless they are constantly renewed and entered into wholeheartedly by the younger generations. For this reason, the Tribe has developed Miccosukee cultural studies at a higher level through a secondary curriculum and expansive studies.

Background

The Tribe has a proud history, which predates Columbus. The Miccosukee Indians were originally part of the Creek Nation, and then migrated to Florida before it became part of the United States.

During the Indian Wars of the 1800s, most of Miccosukees were removed to the West, but about 100, mostly Mikasuki-speaking Creeks, never surrendered and hid out in the Everglades. Present Tribal members now number over 600 and are direct descendants of those who eluded capture.

To survive in this new environment, the Miccosukees had to adapt to living in small groups in temporary "hammock style" camps spread throughout the Everglades' vast river of grass. The Miccosukees stayed to themselves in the Everglades for about 100 years, resisting efforts to become assimilated. Then, after the Tamiami Trail highway was built in 1928, the Tribe began to accept the New World's concepts. To ensure that the federal government would formally recognize the Miccosukee Tribe, Buffalo Tiger led a group to Cuba in 1959, where they asked Fidel Castro for, and were granted international recognition as a sovereign country within the United States. On January 11, 1962, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior approved the Miccosukee Constitution and the Tribe was officially recognized as the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. This legally established the Miccosukees' tribal existence and their sovereign, domestic dependent nation status with the United States Government.

On March 6, 1971, the Miccosukee Corporation was formed to receive and administer funds from private foundations as well as county, state and federal agencies for a variety of educational, employment, housing and social programs for members of the Miccoksukee community. The officers of the Corporation consist of a President, Secretary and a Treasurer. The Chairman of the General Council is also the President and the principal executive of the Corporation.