The Calusa and Their Legacy: South Florida People and Their Environments

Native Peoples, Cultures, and Places of the Southeastern United States

by Darcie A. Macmahon, William H. Marquardt

This history, rich with photographs and colorful drawings of the remarkable Calusa Indians who controlled all of south Florida when Europeans first arrived in the New World, presents a vivid picture of the luxurious natural environment that sustained the Calusa--the teeming estuaries along Florida's coasts, which have supported people for thousands of years.            The Calusa were the last native Florida Indian people to succumb to colonization, but by the mid-1700s they had disappeared entirely. This book describes the artifacts they left behind and the plants and animals that inhabited the landscape and the underwater world of their ecosystem. It also discusses their traditions that survive to the present day among modern fisherfolk and the vibrant culture of Native Americans in south Florida--the Seminole and Miccosukee peoples.            The strength of this book is its dual treatment of both culture and environment. The authors' premise is that culture affects every aspect of people's existence and that to understand a culture, one must first appreciate the environment in which it develops. By learning about both, modern citizens will be better equipped to make the right decisions for wise stewardship of the earth. The Calusa and Their Legacy will inspire readers to value south Florida's multicultural history and ecology. It is written for a broad audience of all ages (from elementary schoolers to senior citizens) and all educational levels. It will be enjoyed by environmentalists, eco/heritage tourists, and everyone interested in understanding a sense of place in the natural world. The book's dramatic and authentic illustrations of Calusa life were created by artists working at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, where a major permanent exhibition has interpreted this story since 2002.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 2004

Reviews

[Valeria · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very didactic book about the first people of Florida. It would be a great resource for homeschooling families in the sunshine state as it talks about history, geology, anthropology, biology, and how environment and people interact.

[Ken · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK book on Calusa indians. I didn't learn much more than I learned at the site, except for info on the ecology of the area. Not much in-depth info on the Calusa.

[Ya Boi Be Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do find its structure and what it chooses to focus on interesting. So much of this is not the Calusa. Most of it is actually the “their legacy” and “south florida people and their environments.” There is very little about the Calusa here sort of understandably because of the lack of documentation, the bias of what their is, and them not surviving.
That being said, what is mentioned I felt was sort of lacking. I get that there might not have been a lot but I feel they could have elaborated more on what we do know about the Calusa. I get a big part is that they sadly don't exist for terrible reasons. But they mention many records but only include bits of each or just show the untranslated document as a small picture. Maybe it has a bit to do with how graphic or intense it is considering this does seem to be intended a bit for middle schoolers, at least with some of the asides and facts they mention, though can definitely be read and enjoyed by others. But the first half is entirely the land and habitats and then we get all the stuff they made and then its a blip of the actual culture. Then it endcaps with surviving tribes that are not the Calusa. Again, maybe that sort of content just is not marked in records a lot especially considering they were often at odds with the people making the records. But then tell us that. Don't just give us a blip about what their culture and historical record is and don't elaborate why it's so little. Either give a substantial amount or explain why its so little. Because considering the audience it's written for I genuinely can't tell of they're leaving nasty bits outs or if the records just aren't including it.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts of this book weren't helpful because technically, the Calusa are not the people I'm planning to use for my story, but other parts were inspirational. I'm glad I read it and chances are good I'll have to borrow it from the library again some day.
It was adequately and informatively written (not meant to be a linguistic showpiece but to inform!) and had lots of pictures. Kudos to Ms. Macmahon!