Originally from the state of Florida, the Native Americans from the Seminole tribe are found most readily in Oklahoma today. Much of the Seminoles today stem from a wide variety of tribes from the Southern United States. During the height of the tribe's power, the late 1700s and early 1800s, refugees from the various tribes of the region descended on Florida and allied with escaped African-American slaves to form a rebellion against European-American dominance.
The dawn of the Seminole Tribe began when the Native American tribes of the Muscogee people began to fight amongst each other in the late 1700s. Fleeing to Florida, the Lower Creeks further displaced the Calusa and Mayaimi tribes, who in turn fled to Cuba. The survivors of these two merged with the Creeks, as did the Yuchi and Yamasee. African-Americans escaping from slavery in the South also joined with the Seminole Tribe.
Siding with the British in the American Revolutionary War, the Seminole were essentially isolated in Florida. Following the war, Spain seized control of the territory and created a treaty with the Seminole Tribe. After the United States took the region from Spain, they forced the Seminole to relocate to Oklahoma. Many remained, however, launching a guerrilla war that lasted for years.
Since the Seminole Tribe is composed of many different ethnic groups, no overarching culture is dominant. Most modern Seminole practice a combination of Christianity and traditional Native American religion. The two most traditional practices the tribe uses are the Stomp dance and the Green Corn Ceremony.
In the Stomp dance, participants eat a variety of Southern foods and traditional Native American cuisine such as cornbread and frybread. The dance grounds are set up in a large square, slightly elevated, and centered around a community fire. Songs are sung as members of the tribe dance around in a gyrating fashion, which helped prompt the name. The Green Corn Ceremony is very similar but focuses on fasting and giving each other warrior names. Food is served at the end of the day in the Green Corn Ceremony.
With tribes located in both Florida and Oklahoma today, the Seminole are one of the most recognized American Indian nations in the United States. This is due in part to the fact that the University of Florida uses the name as its mascot. The reservations are operated by sovereign governments and make money from gambling, tobacco and tourism.
