Saturday, March 18, 2006

Seminole Indians on the Brighton Reservation

There were three Seminole reservations, Hollywood, Big Cyprus, and Brighton. The Brighton reservation is just south of Lake Okeechobee, in the heart of Florida's cattle country. The Seminole and Miccosukee Indians are really one people, although for political reasons they became two seperate tribes. Janice Huff was the oldest daughter of my friend Bobby Tiger from the Tamiami Trail Miccosukee Reservation but she married a Brighton "cowboy" Seminole. My wife and I stayed with them for a week or so in the early 70's. My wife Stephanie loved horseback riding and got to do quite a bit of it while we were there. I keep trying to remember Janice's husband and son's names but I'm drawing a big blank. While their friends and relatives on the other reservations wore a lot of the traditional patchwork jackets ("shirt" they call them) and patchwork skirts in bright colors the Brighton residents dressed pretty much the same as their non Indian neighbors, complete with cowboy hats and boots. They also seemed to eat more "supermarket" food and less of the traditional things.

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