November is more than a month of mustaches and other facial follicles, with No-Shave November causing a stir. It is a time of remembrance, particularly of those venerable native tribes that populated the Americas, and honoring those that still do, keeping their culture alive and strong.
Native American Heritage Month is here, and locals in Greater Tampa Bay may find inspiration in the deep empathy of Uzita princess Ulele.
The story goes that, centuries ago, a militant group of Spanish settlers navigated up young Florida to the mouth of the Little Manatee River. There, they raided the scorned native tribe Uzita. The vengeful tribe responded by imprisoning several settlers, one of whom the chief sentenced to death.
Ulele, the chief’s daughter, took pity on the poor settler and contrived a rescue scheme. She snuck him off to her betrothed, a neighboring chief. For the lucky settler, Juan Ortiz, every month became Native American Heritage month. He adopted the ways of his new sanctuary community over the years.
Now, for those who cannot go the Ortiz route, here is a little overview of GTB’s native people to highlight a bit of their unique cultures.
Tocobaga
Perhaps the most sizable tribe in GTB, the Tocobaga were resourceful people clad in simple deerskin garb — yet their body art was legendary. They adorned themselves with intricate jewelry and extensive tattoos.
The Tocobaga dwelt in small, round houses with thatched roofs near the northern end of modern Tampa, and they dined chiefly on fish or shellfish from around the bay.
They were pioneers of the early shovel, a pointed stone or tough shell fixed firmly to a curved branch. The Tocobaga were also no strangers to weapons of war, impressing the Spanish with their deadly archery craft.
Mocoso
The Mocoso group was linguistically unique, speaking their own language apart from the common native tongue in GTB. These men and women were striking also for their appearance, with red-painted bodies and plumes streaming from their hair.
The Mocoso were those who adopted Ortiz. They remain one of the most mysterious, archaic communities among Native Floridians, their language lost to time and their people sadly consumed by the greed of invaders.
Uzita
The Uzita chiefdom’s notorious conflict with the Spanish does not tell the whole story. These were a people of great craftsmanship and hunting prowess, living off of everything from seafood to mammals and even local reptiles.
It is not certain, but the now-defunct Thomas Mound at the mouth of the Little Manatee River is thought to have been the site of the Uzitas’ village. In its time, this site was likely a bustling community center rich with spiritual reverence and fierce tradition. Reportedly, an Uzita bowman could lose four arrows before a Spanish crossbowman fired a single shot.
Seminole
When Creek lands in Alabama and Georgia were encroached upon by settlers, some natives withdrew to GTB. There, they welcomed runaway black slaves, communing in resistance to a common threat. This special tribe became known as the Seminole, AKA the “separatists.”
By 1800, their dress had been powerfully influenced by settler trade. This resulted in an amalgam of traditional body paint with garb like buckskin leggings and matchcoats.
Seminoles popularized chickee-style architecture across Florida, palmetto thatch roofs over log frames. In fact, South Florida in particular has seen high demand for modernized Chickee structures.
Written by Drew Mortier
