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Indigenous People of Florida |
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The Ancient OnesRemember that old school day rhyme, "In the year 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue?"That single event was responsible for the European invasion of the North American continent and caused the loss of entire tribes of Native Americans. The Spaniards brought with them diseases (common cold, influenza, measles, chicken pox, mumps, etc) unknown to the native peoples of America and with no natural immunities to these diseases, that and the slaughter of Natives by the Conquistadors spelled a death knell to out original tribes here in Florida. At the time of the first contact with Florida by the Spaniards it is estimated that about 250.000 native peoples lived in small villages through out the state. In 1763 - 1764 when Britain gained control the Ancients Ones as the original native peoples were called no longer existed.The Ancient Ones of Florida are: Ais, Apalachee, Calusa, Hororo, Mayaca, Timucua, and TocobagaFor over 12,000 years these indigenous peoples had cared for and lived off the abundance of Florida native flora and fauna with a reverence and respect for Mother Earth that is still practiced by existing native peoples throughout the United States. Sadly the richness and mysteries of these people can only be told in the archaeological and anthropological history of our state and the voices of our elders.Our Native peoples of today are the Seminole and the Miccosukee |
Florida
Native American Coordinator
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