The Life of a Seminole Indian

1. The Life of a Seminole Indian

2. Seminole Food • In the past, the Seminole Indians made their flour from the wild caoontie plant. • They only ate when they were hungry, so most of the time they did not have 3 square meals a day like we do. • The Seminole Indians always kept a hot pot of soup or sofkee on the fire. • Some of the favorite dishes that the Seminole Indians still enjoy are sofk( drink made of grits or roasted corn), fry bread, and taal-holelke (boiled swamp cabbage) • Usually they make these dishes on special occasions.

3. Taal-holelke

4. Fry Bread

5. Dweling • The Seminole Indians lived in a dweling known as the “Chickee”. • The chickee is constructed with cypress logs with palm thatch leaves woven together to form the roof. • The reason for this dwelling was because the Indians needed a fast, disposable shelter while they were on the run from the U.S. Troops.

6. Chickee

7. Clothing (women) • Women wear long colorful skirts and a lonf sleeve blouse that has an attached cape with a ruffle. • The women also wear as many necklaces as they can afford.

8. Clothing (men) • Men wear a full cut skirt. It was decorated on the front placket. On his head he wears a turban and a belt around his waist. • In 1920, the Seminole women started intricate patchwork. They would alternate sting colors to make a decorative design.

9. Family Structure • Seminole Indian’s call their extended family units “clans” like you learned about on Monday. • Each male went to go live in the clan camp of the wife. • A Seminole Indian born to a mother who is a Seminole Indian inherits her clan name. • There are eight different clans that you guys know: Panther, Bear, Deer, Wind, Bigtown, Bird, Snake, and Otter. Several historical clans are extinct and the biggest clan is the Panther. • Clan members are not supposed to marry. • Females can only pass on the clan name. • You have to be ¼ Seminole Indian in order to qualify.