The Seminoles’ ancestors were Creeks, who were living in Georgia and
Alabama before migrated to Florida in 1700s.

Their name “Seminole” means “Unconquered People”.

In Florida there is a lot of rich fields. It was perfect for Seminoles who were cattlemen and for the agriculture, plantations of corn, beans, and others crops. Seminoles included Creeks and also Yushis and runaway black slaves who found help among the Indians.

Conflicts began due to white settlers who wanted Indian land and their slaves back. In 1820, the first of three wars began.

These wars lasted during thirty years. The Seminoles’ wars against the United States, and their President Andrew Jackson, cost almost forty millions dollars and one thousand six hundred dead soldiers.

During the last Seminoles’ war a great warrior leader, named Osceola, appeared and at the same time a medicine man named Abiaka helped the Seminole warriors because of is powerful spiritual leadership.

Even after these wars the Seminole population (three hundred) remained free and non-defeated by the United States.

For the next sixty years, the small population lived far away from the whites.

They made livings as hunters, guides, and sometimes with traditional items for the visitors.

Handcraft for tourists was made with deer and alligator skins. Their needs were very simple: salt, munitions, tissues, pans, cooking accessories, etc.

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The members of the Seminole Tribe lived in very simple shelters called
“Chickee”.
This style of architecture (palmetto thatch over a cypress log frame) began in the early 1800s, when Seminole Indians, attacked by U.S. troops, needed fast, disposable safe shelters.

They built temporary camps or permanent villages; their clothes were hung on ceiling; they slept all together on a platform in the middle of the room.

The elders held the authority and were respected by the family.
The work was shared equally