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Native Peoples, Cultures, and Places of the Southeastern United States
Unconquered People: Florida's Seminole and Miccosukee Indians
Who are Florida’s Seminole and Miccosukee Indians? Where did they come from? How and why are they different from one another, and what cultural and historical features do they share?
Brent Weisman explores Seminole and Miccosukee culture through information provided by archaeology, ethnography, historical documents, and the words of the Indians themselves. He explains when and how their culture was formed and how it has withstood historical challenges and survives in the face of pressures from the modern world.
Focusing on key elements of ceremony and history, Weisman examines the origins and persistence of the Green Corn Dance, the importance of the clan in determining political and social relationships, and the crucial role of the Second Seminole War (1835-42) and its aftermath in stimulating cultural adaptation as the entire Indian population was forced deep into the remote wetlands of south Florida. Throughout, he emphasizes the remarkable ability of the Seminoles to adapt successfully to changing circumstances while preserving their core identity, from the colonial period through the present day.
Noting the importance of geography for understanding a people’s identity, Weisman adds a travel guide to publicly accessible historic sites throughout the state that tell of the unique and deep connection between Seminole history and the geography of Florida. Illustrating the range of the Seminoles well beyond the familiar south Florida region, he explains the importance in Seminole history of the Suwannee River and the Paynes Prairie area of north-central Florida, the Withlacoochee River wetlands of central Florida, the Big Cypress region of southwest Florida, and the Pine Island Ridge of the eastern Everglades.
For both students and general readers, Weisman combines scholarship from several disciplines with the perspectives of the Seminoles themselves into an exciting history of Florida’s enduring Native Americans.
Brent Weisman explores Seminole and Miccosukee culture through information provided by archaeology, ethnography, historical documents, and the words of the Indians themselves. He explains when and how their culture was formed and how it has withstood historical challenges and survives in the face of pressures from the modern world.
Focusing on key elements of ceremony and history, Weisman examines the origins and persistence of the Green Corn Dance, the importance of the clan in determining political and social relationships, and the crucial role of the Second Seminole War (1835-42) and its aftermath in stimulating cultural adaptation as the entire Indian population was forced deep into the remote wetlands of south Florida. Throughout, he emphasizes the remarkable ability of the Seminoles to adapt successfully to changing circumstances while preserving their core identity, from the colonial period through the present day.
Noting the importance of geography for understanding a people’s identity, Weisman adds a travel guide to publicly accessible historic sites throughout the state that tell of the unique and deep connection between Seminole history and the geography of Florida. Illustrating the range of the Seminoles well beyond the familiar south Florida region, he explains the importance in Seminole history of the Suwannee River and the Paynes Prairie area of north-central Florida, the Withlacoochee River wetlands of central Florida, the Big Cypress region of southwest Florida, and the Pine Island Ridge of the eastern Everglades.
For both students and general readers, Weisman combines scholarship from several disciplines with the perspectives of the Seminoles themselves into an exciting history of Florida’s enduring Native Americans.
184 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 31, 2021
What a nice review of the cultural history of the Seminoles and Mikosukee, people that occupied lands I knew and loved growing up in northern Florida. My daughter will soon be moving to Tampa, and it excites me to think of her proximity to more of this rich heritage and history.
July 6, 2025
Unconquered People is a cultural history of the Seminoles and Miccosukees, from their origins throughout the 20th century. Similar to the author's earlier work, Like Beads on a String: A Culture History of the Seminole Indians in North Peninsular Florida, it's more anthropology than history, and incorporates archaeology. In relevant places it draws heavily from that earlier work, but as a result also seems to shortchange the early Miccosukee west of the Suwannee River. This is a rather different approach than the main modern general history, Covington's The Seminoles of Florida, and thus compliments rather than competes with that more traditional chronological history.
Weisman is a decent writer, and certainly above average for a university professor with an archaeology background. His work also has a good tone (better than Covington's) - positive but not fawning.
Surprisingly for a university press book, there was neither a bibliography nor an index, although they may have either been omitted because of the larger Native American culture history series this book is part of, or perhaps were included in the original hardcover edition (I read the softcover).
I normally read more traditional history. The cultural/anthropological approach here both offers some different perspectives, especially the evolution of culture over time, but it also seems to jump around too much for my liking. It's a short history, though not exactly a concise one.
Mild recommendation in general, but probably a must-read for anyone with a strong interest in Florida history.
Weisman is a decent writer, and certainly above average for a university professor with an archaeology background. His work also has a good tone (better than Covington's) - positive but not fawning.
Surprisingly for a university press book, there was neither a bibliography nor an index, although they may have either been omitted because of the larger Native American culture history series this book is part of, or perhaps were included in the original hardcover edition (I read the softcover).
I normally read more traditional history. The cultural/anthropological approach here both offers some different perspectives, especially the evolution of culture over time, but it also seems to jump around too much for my liking. It's a short history, though not exactly a concise one.
Mild recommendation in general, but probably a must-read for anyone with a strong interest in Florida history.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews