Life in the Everglades by Research Proposal

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MacCauley's work is really a map of the culture and customs, and modern day Miccosukee people can create lasting memories from following the food, clothing, and cultural models MacCauley leaves behind in his book. Chief Tiger wants to preserve these customs, and MacCauley lists the customs the people should preserve and protect, so together, the two works form somewhat of a "Bible" for the Miccosukee people. They also show how the culture is always changing. The number of people have grown since MacCauley wrote his book, which he predicted, but their way of life has altered drastically, mostly because of an influx of whites into Florida, and the gradual disappearance of their tribal lands due to increased population and degradation of the natural environment.

MacCauley cannot see far enough ahead to predict how Florida will change and grow. He writes, "Then the abundance of food, both animal and vegetable, obtainable in that region seemed to me to do away with the necessity, on the part of the people living there, for a struggle for existence" (MacCauley 529). However, Chief Tiger knows his people are now struggling for existence because their way of life is all but gone, and most of the tribe has embraced the modern world. That is why he fought for recognition and even traveled to Cuba to gain recognition of the tribe from Fidel Castro. He knew their way of life would disappear forever if they did not take control of their own tribe and resources, and he was correct. It was a hard fight, but the Miccosukee were one of the first tribes to gain control of their own destiny from the American Government, and that is something MacCauley could have never understood or predicted.

Chief Tiger wants his people never to forget their culture and history, and that is one of the reasons he wrote this book. He says, "It does not matter what happens, but we must keep learning in our life. We must learn our history, our culture, and other different things that are important" (Tiger and Kersey 122). He understands this is the key to the tribe's survival, because their way of life is disappearing, and the young people will not continue the culture and customs if they do not learn about them and recognize their importance today.

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Probably the biggest difference between these two accounts is the way the early writer views the natives. He is condescending in his relationship to them, and although he admires many of their qualities, it is quite clear that he sees them as inferior to the white man. For example, he writes, "In range of intellectual power and mental processes the Florida Indians, when compared with the intellectual abilities and operations of the cultivated American, are quite limited. But if the Seminole are to be judged by comparison with other American aborigines, I believe they easily enter the first class" (MacCauley 493). It is clear that he feels Native Americans are not as intelligent as whites are, but that is due to their lack of formal education, rather than their true intelligence. Chief Tiger indicates this, because he lacked a great degree of formal education, and yet he communicates effectively and emotionally, even though his words may be simpler than Professor Kersey's.

In conclusion, although these two works are centuries apart, they paint a compelling portrait of the Seminoles of Florida. Reading them together helps give the reader a good foundation of knowledge about these Native Americans, and it helps indicate how strong these tribes are, and how compelled they are to continue their culture and lifestyle at just about any cost. Chief Tiger's actions may seem controversial, but they are simply a reaction to a system that has subjugated and taken advantage of natives for years, and the result, a viable tribal nation in charge of its own future, should be the model for Native American tribes around the country......

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