Florida State University’s Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) Center held a Jan 16-17 symposium that connected the two federally recognized native tribes of Florida and the larger community through a collaborative and ongoing conversation.
The “Two Tribes of Florida: A Shared Environment” symposium brought members from both the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida to FSU’s campus to explore some of the various issues these two modern tribes face in how their history is presented, how their cultures are maintained, and how the tribes have maintained an essential role in guiding the state of Florida into the future.
“We are thrilled that this center brings people together to have these conversations and foster these relationships to honor and celebrate Indigenous voices,” FSU President Richard McCullough said. “This symposium really reflects Florida State University’s deep respect for and our commitment to working alongside Indigenous communities – not only studying and promoting their history but partnering with them as we move forward.”
The symposium began with an opening reception at the Florida Historic Capitol Museum on the evening of Thursday, Jan. 16, followed by a full day of panels and discussion on Friday, Jan. 17, in FSU’s Miller Hall.
The six panels offered on Friday provided a platform for the two tribes to tell their own stories in their own words and languages. Chaired by an FSU faculty member, each panel had a representative from the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
“By centering the two federally recognized tribes in Florida, we are flipping the script about the relationship between Indigenous communities and academia,” said Andrew Frank, director of the NAIS Center. “By treating the Miccosukee and Seminole as the experts that they are, we can identify spaces where we can work with tribes as peers rather than as subjects to be studied. I am really excited for future collaborations.”
The symposium engaged individuals from across the state to focus on academic topics and dive into the life and history of the two tribes. Discussions included topics such as Everglades restoration, the tribes’ place in the larger South Florida landscape, traditional ecological knowledge, Indigenous education practices, and how the tribes understand their own specific histories.
“I was really excited to be attending the symposium specifically because I had heard that it was going to be both Miccosukee and Seminoles,” said Kendal Osceola, Miccosukee embassy fellow and village tour guide. “Usually whenever there are events with tribal communities, there tends to be more of a focus on Seminole just because they’re a bigger tribe compared to Miccosukee. Being heard, especially here at the symposium, that’s what really matters to me, especially about the environment and how our present and past family members are represented and protected.”
FSU’s Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) Center was launched in 2023 and unites research from academics across diverse disciplines within the university, including art, art history, music, modern languages and linguistics, religion, history, archaeology, geography and anthropology.
The NAIS Center provides a physical and conceptual hub for community members who are committed to Native American and Indigenous research and artistic practice, while also promoting and coordinating consultations with tribal nations and community leaders, educational efforts inside and outside of the classroom, and collaborative scholarship more broadly.
For more information about FSU’s Native American and Indigenous Studies Center, visit nais.fsu.edu.