Miccosukee Tribe Indian Day Festival Connects Hearts to the Everglades

An alligator opens his mouth wide at the Miccosukee Village in Miami.

Photos by Kelly J. Farrell

Houston Cypress, of the Otter Clan of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, at the American Indian Day festival hosted by the Miccosukee Tribe. Cypress, co-founder of the nonprofit Love the Everglades Movement, offered guests an opportunity to give something intangible back to the Everglades during an airboat excursion.

Photos by Kelly J. Farrell

Amarys Higgins is one of several models showing a traditional skirt in the fashion show at the American Indian Day festival. This traditional dress was designed and sewn by Khadijah Cypress.

Photos by Kelly J. Farrell

Humberto Jimenez, an airboat captain at Tigertail Airboat Tours holds an alligator snapping turtle, which can grow to 200 pounds, on a tree island where the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida care for several animas, including this protected species. The alligator snapping turtle is currently under review for federal listing by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Photos by Kelly J. Farrell

Posted Wednesday, October 2, 2024 8:00 pm

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By Kelly J. Farrell

Thousands of people attended the annual American Indian Day Festival at the Miccosukee Indian Village Saturday and Sunday, September 28th and 29th.

Many animals were included in the event and alligators in particular were plentiful, including for people to view through clear waters in the large Village pools, in the Glades on airboat excursions, in the design of the bounce house alligator slide that invited children and adults, as well as in the art, jewelry and clothing.

“We had a kid throw a shoe into the alligator’s mouth earlier,” said Lucas Osceola, assistant chairman of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.

“I said ‘Oh no. Don’t do that. Crocs and gators don’t mix,’” he said, laughing about the popular shoe brand.

There were no injuries reported to the children or the alligators. One elder received medical assistance, likely brought on by the heat of the late summer day.

Members of the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes may celebrate American Indian Day every day, but for many event visitors, the weekend was an opportunity to learn more about the present culture and history of Florida’s tribes, as well as that of indigenous people from other countries, for the first time.

Laura Bhatti of the Otavalo tribe of Ecuador connected with the Miccosukee Tribe first as a native dancer many years ago before becoming a third grade teacher at the Miccosukee School. On Saturday and Sunday, she offered arts and crafts for sale, with finger-weaving bracelets being among her favorites, Bhatti said.

Entry to the Tribal event was no cost for visitors, who were further invited to enjoy bounce houses, free fry bread samples, wood carving demonstrations, pony rides, fashion shows, alligator demonstrations, free airboat rides, and patchwork demonstrations, among several other activities, including performances by Indigenous rock n’ roll trio The Osceola Brothers and the Ameyal Mexican Cultural Organization.

Food, arts, crafts, and clothing were available for sale.

Inside the museum on the Village grounds were viewings of the ABC-TV show “Wildlife Nation” with Jeff Corwin partnering with the Tribe to offer “Expedition Florida.” Not only did the show provide entertaining education about wildlife and partnerships between the tribe and nearby cities, but also inside the museum, many guests enjoyed an opportunity to cool off in the air-conditioning. The museum included photographers from the early 1900s and showed how indigenous people processed sugar cane as well as the tool used to grind corn to make sofkee.

Seminole Ted Billie said his family used the same tools used for corn and other grains for grinding meat as well.

“We weren’t worried about germs back then. But this is why we cooked everything very well. There was no rare done,” Billie said.

He, like other family members, learned woodcarving and made tools, weapons and decorations using hand tools. Billie’s daughter provided patchwork demonstrations as his grandchildren talked and played at the weekend’s events.

The nonprofit organization Love the Everglades Movement provided an airboat excursion on Sunday, in addition to other free airboat offerings from the tribe throughout the weekend’s festivities.

With visitors receiving so much from the tribe and the Everglades at no cost, Love the Everglades provided an opportunity for guests to offer something back to the Everglades.

“Our ask is that people make an intangible offering to the Everglades. It can be a poem, a dance…This is your moment. Share something intangible,” said Houston Cypress, a member of the Miccosukee Tribe’s Otter Clan and cofounder of Love the Everglades Movement with Jean Sarmiento.

This is performative in the true, positive meaning of the word, Houston added. It’s about meaning what we say, he said.

Several guests offered poems and silent prayers and blessings.

Miami artist Alexander Zastera offered a practice to the Everglades and to the other attendees on the airboat excursion Sunday.

“I like to put the swamp in my heart,” said Zastera.

This may ensure a deep care for the earth. They described the relaxation that comes with spending time in the Everglades.

“You can take some of that back with you and it’s nice because it keeps you connected,” Zastera said.

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