Socialite turned Friend of the Seminole: Ethel Cutler Freeman
Dive into the impactful work of anthropologist Ethel Cutler Freeman, who worked with the Big Cypress community beginning in the 1940s.
Seminole Spaces: Rich Heritage And Beautiful Tradition In White Springs
This week, we're heading to White Springs, FL, just in time for the Florida Folk Festival, held May 24-26 at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park.
Top 5 Spectacular Off-Reservation Chickees to Visit This Summer
This week, we highlight the top 5 off-reservation chickees you and your family can visit this summer, and learn about Seminole history and culture!
Dear Friend: The Spectacular Photos of W. Stanley Hanson
This week, we look at an utterly unique collection, gathered over the lifetime of W. Stanley Hanson Sr. and his family that documents the Seminole experience.
Teaching from the Heart: Love and Language with Lorene Bowers Gopher
Happy Friday! Throughout March, Florida Seminole Tourism is spotlighting significant Seminole women every week on our blog. In the latest installment of our Women’s History Month series, make sure to grab your backpack and sharpen your pencils! This week, join us to learn more about the incredible Seminole teacher Lorene Bowers Gopher. During her long career, Gopher dedicated her time to education, the preservation of Seminole Culture, and the preservation of the Florida Creek language. In addition, Gopher would become Brighton’s Cultural Program Director. She would develop community programs aimed at preserving Seminole culture, art, foodways, and the Creek language. Today, we will explore Gopher's lasting legacy and witness the enduring impact her passionate teaching had on the education of Seminole children. In our featured image, you can see a group of children lined up at the Brighton Indian Day School, circa 1951-1952. They are (L to R): Josephine Huff, Elaine Johnson,
Kickoff to Seminole Festival Season
This week, join us for all the latest details on festival season and three exciting, special events. Dance to the rhythm at the Indigenous Arts and Music Festival, immerse yourself in Native dance at the Seminole Tribal Fair and Pow Wow, and catch the excitement of the rodeo at the Brighton Field Day Festival.
Oh my Gourd! Seminole Pumpkins and Other Uniquely Cultivated Seminole Foods
Last month, we shared some sweet and savory Seminole treats and recipes that you can try at home. As we touched on previously, Indigenous cooking and harvesting represent acts of resistance to the pressures of colonization. Therefore, it is increasingly important to recognize, uphold, share, and support Indigenous cooking methods, patterns of subsistence, and what they represent. This week, we will look at several uniquely Seminole cultivated foods, and how they became important staples in the Seminole diet. We will look at Seminole pumpkins, coontie, and cabbage palm, as well as how Seminole gardens were uniquely designed to thrive in the Florida ecosystem and hide their important food resources. In our featured image this week you can see corn planted in a Seminole camp, probably early to mid 20th century. You can see chickees around it in the background (2007.46.27, ATTK Museum). Below, you can see a Seminole pumpkin. Seminole Foods Although Florida
Sweet and Savory Seminole Treats!
Get a closer look at traditional Seminole treats, recipes you can try at home, and how and where you can taste some of these special foods.
Seminole Music, Language, and Legacy
Even before the modern rock empire of the Seminole Hard Rock, music has been closely tied to Seminole culture, identity, and history. Seminoles use music for social, political, and educational purposes. Significantly, they pass down stories, legends, and even language through song. This week, we are exploring the legacy of Seminole music, and how it has shifted and changed over time. Additionally, at the end of the post, we will look at a handful of modern Seminole artists, and current Seminole representation in music. Above, you can see Dr. Judy Ann Osceola, Pauline (nee Jumper, married name unknown), Judy Baker, Mary Louise Johns (nee Jumper), Priscilla Sayen, and Judy Bill Osceola (with guitar). Occasionally, the women were asked to sing at events as a show of support for the newly formed government of the Seminole Tribe of Florida in the late 1950s. Seminole Music In our featured image this week, you can see
Celebrate Earth Day 2023!
Learn how to give back in your community, make small changes with big impacts, and what events are available around you to get involved in.