The Rising Tide: Native American Heritage at Risk Due to Climate Change

 Archaeological sites provide us clues to the past. These clues provide us with information we may otherwise never know. For example, evidence at these sites can provide clues to what prehistoric indeginous people were eating, what their houses looked like, population size, how they buried and memorialized their dead, and what tools they used. Often, these sites are the only clues we have of these previous occupants. Many of these sites in Florida exist at or below the current sea level and many of these sites exist along the coastline, where resources would have been abundant. Statewide, more than 16,000 archaeological sites are at risk due to climate change. In the Big Bend Region, this includes over 540 Native American archaeological sites. These sites include occupation and encampment sites, middens (refuse piles), resource extraction sites, mound, and burial sites. 

Many people are under the impression that Florida doesn’t have much archaeology or that its history does not span far back. In fact, Florida’s history spans over 14,000 years from what archaeologists know currently! Indeginous cultures in Florida were constructing mounds before the Egyptians were constructing pyramids! We can learn so much from these sites, including how indeginous people coped with previous sea level events. Archaeologists know that climate change and sea level rise are not new phenomena, but what worries them is the rate at which we are seeing these changes happen now. Archaeologists are already seeing sites with cultural material eroding from them due to sea level rise. We have seen sites, even those inland, destroyed due to stronger and more frequent storm events. We recognize that we cannot save them all, but we can do our best to document them and save those that are significant both from an archaeological standpoint, but also from a Native American cultural standpoint. 

Heritage Monitoring Scout workshop in East Point, FL,
volunteers learning to monitor archaeological
sites.

Archaeologists, including those from tribal governments, are working around the state to document and find solutions to protect our state’s most vulnerable sites. Living shorelines are being installed in some instances, 3D models are being constructed, GIS data is being compiled, and sites are being monitored statewide. These efforts are not just taking place in Florida, but around the country and globally. In some instances, such as with FPAN’s Heritage Monitoring Scouts program, volunteers are being utilized to help with the workload. 50 million indeginous people died from disease, massacres, and slavery as a result of European contact. Many oral histories, traditions, knowledge, and language disappeared along with them, and so it is even more important that we work to learn from and preserve as much as we can from these sites because in many instances they are all that is left of past cultures. Many archaeologists believe strongly that this is the least we can do for the descendants of these ancient indeginous people. Scientific data shows that climate change disproportionately affects minority and indeginous communities, and their cultural heritage is also at risk due to climate change.

The Apalachee and European Contact in Florida

Map depicting the Apalachee Province
and other Native American Tribes
in the Southeast (courtesy of the 
Florida Division of Historical Resources)

The Apalachee lived in the Tallahassee area prior to Spanish arrival. Specifically, the Apalachee Province (as it was referred to by the Spanish) existed between the Aucilla and Ochlockonee Rivers, at the head of the Apalachee Bay. Like the Muscogee (Creek) that we learned about last week, the Apalachee also spoke a Muscogean language which was also called Apalachee. While the Apalachee language is now considered extinct, the descendants of those who spoke it still exist, although in much smaller numbers than prior to European contact. 

The Apalachee were agriculturalists, growing crops such as various types of corn, pumpkin, and sunflowers. They also hunted and gathered throughout the region. Agriculture allowed them to remain in one place for long periods, settling in large groups. It also allowed for them to have more specialization and stratification within their community. They were also part of a very expansive trade network. This trade network extended from the Gulf Coast, to the Great Lakes, all the way into Oklahoma. They would trade shells and  other locally available materials for things like copper and sheets of mica. In fact, the reputation they garnered as a result of this trade network reportedly caused the Native Americans in Southern Florida to implore the Spanish to move north to the Apalachee Province if they wanted to find real riches, such as gold. There is no evidence that the Apalachee actually had gold, but perhaps the copper was mistakenly thought to be gold. 

The Narvaez Expedition encountered the Apalachee in 1528, and eleven years later the de Soto Expedition wintered at Anhaica (present-day Tallahassee), which was the Apalachee capitol.  You can visit the site of de Soto’s winter encampment, which currently is home to the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research. This was not a peaceful mixing of two cultures, and resulted in numerous violent instances. The Apalachee’s arrows were said to be able to pierce two layers of chainmail but no amount of weaponry could protect them against the invisible killer the Spanish brought with them. In addition to violence, the Apalachee suffered from diseases brought over by the Europeans. Throughout  early history, there were also multiple instances of violence between the Apalachee and other Indigenous tribes considered to be their enemy. As you can imagine, in some instances these rivalries were used by the Spanish and other Europeans.

An artistic rendering of what Mission San Luis 
de Talimali looked like (courtesy of the Trail of 
Florida's Indian Heritage)

Around 1600 Spanish Franciscans found successful Catholic missions among the Apalachee. There is much conjecture as to why they were more willing than some other Florida tribes to convert to Catholicism. Many speculate that it could have been due to desperation from their dwindling numbers and the fear of an unknown and invisible killer- diseases brought by the Spanish. However, it is important to note that there were instances of revolt against the Spanish missions. So we cannot assume that it was an easy transition or completely voluntary. From 1654 to 1704 Mission San Luis de Talimali was the western capitol of Spanish Florida. Today it is a living history museum and listed as a National Historic Landmark. 

The pre-contact population of the Apalachee is estimated to have been approximately 50,000. By 1608, a Spanish Fransiscan Friar estimated it at about 36,000. The population steadily declined, and by 1675 only about 10,000 Apalachee remained. Survivors were forced to relocate, and oftentimes had to hide their identity as Apalachee. They adapted to survive and the relocation allowed them to escape complete genocide. Today there are an estimated 300 people that identify as  descendants of the Apalachee who once dominated this region. These are members of the Talimali Band of Apalachee. Today they reside mostly in Louisiana and continue to uphold their Apalachee traditions and are working towards federal recognition. These descendants have worked with archaeologists and historians at Mission San Luis de Talimali ,located in their ancestral homeland, to ensure a culturally appropriate and accurate representation of their culture and ancestors. 

There are quite a number of books available that discuss the Apalachee and the Spanish Mission Period in Florida. A few we recommend, in addition to the numerous links above, are listed below. 

The Apalachee Indians and Mission San Luis, written by John H. Hann and Bonnie G. McEwan

Florida Indians and the Invasion from Europe, written by Jerald T. Milanich

Hernando de Soto Among the Apalachee: The Archaeology of the First Winter Encampment (Florida Museum of Natural History: Ripley P. Bullen Series), written by Charles R. Ewen and John H. Hann

Here They Once Stood: The Tragic End of the Apalachee Missions, written by Mark F. Boyd

The Muscogee Nation of Florida: A People of One Fire

 

The Muscogee Nation of Florida's Tribal 
Headquarters in Bruce, FL (photo courtesy
of Walton Outdoors)

The Muscogee ancestral homeland consists of what is now south Tennessee, Alabama, western Georgia, and parts of north Florida. A large majority of the Muscogee (often referred to as Creek) people were forcibly removed from these ancestral homelands by the federal government in the 1830s during the Trail of Tears. Today, descendants of those removed reside in Oklahoma, where native populations were relocated during this time. That being said, there is a vibrant and active traditional Muscogee community that exists in Florida today, which includes several different tribal communities. Today we are focusing on the Muscogee Nation of Florida and one of the projects that they are developing in a rural community in the Florida panhandle. Our goal here is not to tell you the story or history of the Muscogee, as they can most definitely tell that better than we can. Our goal is to introduce people to the Muscogee and discuss a valuable contribution they are making to a rural community that is often overlooked. 

The Muscogee people have become a staple part of their communities in North Florida. One project that has caught our attention is the Muscogee Farm project of the Muscogee Nation of Florida. The Muscogee Nation of Florida is headquartered in Bruce, Florida. They have endeavored to establish an agro-tourism business that will increase the self-sufficiency of the tribe and create additional employment opportunities for tribal members. It will provide a new source of locally sourced food for the community and create an income stream for the tribe. The farm’s plans include over seven acres of land surrounding their tribal headquarters, and encompass everything from hydroponics to aquaponics. There are also plans for  a U-pick blueberry orchard! The farm plans include an educational aspect as well, with a learning center, nature trails with interpretive signage about native plants, and other educational components. The tribe also envisions this farm becoming part of the

Trail of Florida’s Indian Heritage.

Flooding of the Muscogee Farm from Hurricane 
Sally. (photo courtesy of Muscogee Nation of 
Florida)

 Projects like this empower the Muscogee tribal members, but they also provide for their surrounding community as well and create educational opportunities for all. We often think of Native American communities as living in isolation, but this is a great example of a tribal community creating opportunity for their members, while providing a resource for their surrounding community as well. Unfortunately, this area has been battered by hurricanes for several years now. Most recently, Hurricane Sally hit the Bruce area and Muscogee Farms experienced extreme flooding and damage. This flooding killed numerous fruit trees and indeginous plants and wreaked havoc on their structures. We encourage you to please learn more about how you can help the Muscogee Nation of Florida recover from Hurricane Sally  and reach their goals. We hope that if you find yourself in or near Bruce that you will visit their farm and educational center as well, as the best way to learn about our Native American culture here in Florida is from the source itself! 

Let's Celebrate! November is Native American Heritage Month

 Florida is rich in Native American history, culture, and heritage. Many people have heard of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, but there are also some people that are not aware of Florida’s indigenous people. The Seminole may be one of the more well known indigenous groups in Florida, but there are others as well. November is Native American Heritage Month, and so we thought it would be a great opportunity to share some information about Florida’s Native Americans. One thing we want to make absolutely clear is that there are still Native Americans in Florida and across North America that practice their traditions while living in a modern world. In fact, there are over 5 million people in the United States that identify as American Indian. While they have a rich history in our state, they do indeed play a huge role in Florida’s present and future as well. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s learn about the history and evolution of Native American Heritage Month and then go from there. 

Dr. Arthur C. Parker (photo 
courtesy of wikipedia.com)

We have celebrated Native American Heritage Month since President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 as such. Similar proclamations have been made every year since then. However, the celebration of Native American heritage goes back earlier than that. In 1911, Dr. Arthur Parker, a Seneca tribal member, archaeologist and historian, and Director of the Museum of Arts and Science in Rochester, New York, successfully persuaded the Boy Scouts of America to set aside a day for “First Americans”. It is also worth noting that in 1935 Dr. Parker, a Native American, was elected the first president of the Society for American Archaeology! Then, in 1915, at the Annual Congress of the American Indian Association, a plan for “American Indian Day” was approved. President Coolidge issued a proclamation on September 28th, 1915 declaring the second Saturday of May as American Indian Day. This proclamation is significant because it also contained the first formal appeal for recognition of Native Americans as citizens of the United States. 

After the 1915 proclamation by President Coolidge, several states subsequently started to celebrate Native American heritage on the fourth Saturday of September. More recently, several states have designated Columbus Day as  Indigenous Peoples Day, but it is also observed without being recognized as a national legal holiday. Columbus Day has long been seen by many Indigenous people and others as a day that glorifies a time in our nation’s history that was violent and oppressive towards indigenous cultures. This shift has not been without controversy, but there is a growing movement towards celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day, with more states, college campuses, and municipalities choosing to celebrate it every year rather than Columbus Day.

Native American Heritage Month is a month for everyone to celebrate and learn about the achievements and contributions of Native Americans to our country's past, present and future. We invite you to take time this month to educate yourself and explore Florida’s rich Native American heritage. Each of our weekly blog posts this month will be dedicated to this subject and we will also provide additional resources if you would like to explore further. To get started, we urge you to check out the Trail of Florida’s Indian Heritage.