Hello and welcome to a special edition of# Your South Florida.

I'm Pam Gigantti coming## to you from Miccosukee Village in the Florida# Everglades.

I'm joined by William Paipai Osceola,## the secretary for the Miccosukee Business# Council and my co-host for today's episode.

Thanks for having me, Pam, and welcome.# It's always great to share our story,## especially here in the heart of our community.# Well, we are honored to be here.

And today we## are diving deep into the rich, history and# vibrant culture of the Miccosukee Tribe,## a community of over 600 members living here in# South Florida.

And who better to help us tell that## story than you pop by.

It's my honor, Pam.

The# Miccosukee have a long history of storytelling,## music and the arts and fighting to protect our# native lands in the Everglades.

And now our young## people are finding ways to carry our traditions# into the future, while navigating modern Life## and Popeye.

It's that blend of preserving the past# while embracing the future that's so powerful.

It## really highlights the resilience and adaptability# of the Miccosukee people.

In fact, that's exactly## what we touched on earlier when I had the chance# to sit down with both you and Talbot Cypress,## who is chairman of the Miccosukee Business# Council.

We talked about the tribe's history,## its enduring traditions and the exciting# path forward being created for the community.# This gator is ironic because his name is tiny.# As you can see.

Clearly he's not.

And he used## to be alive.

He used to be in our old alligator# pit before we got it refurbished and redone.

We## had a hard time disconnecting from Tiny, and# we just had to make sure we acknowledged our## history and we brought them up to the future.# Now with us.

And here he.

Is.

Exactly.

Thank## you gentlemen, it's great having both of you# here today.

Really appreciate your time.

Ppop,## I want to start with you.

We are here# on the lovely Miccosukee Indian Village## on the Miccosukee Reservation.

Talk a# little bit about the significance of this## land and why it is so important to you and# your people.

We're only here because of this## land.

It protected us.

It saved us during the war# times.

In fact, this village we're in right now,## there's actually some very important meetings# that were held here back in the day when we were## trying to become a federally recognized tribe.

And# this village used to actually belong to a family.# But once we became a tribe, they allowed the# tribe to use it to make sure we could do outreach## to people who weren't living in the Everglades# non-natives.

It’s a pretty, uh, pretty significant## place for that right now.

Talbott Let's talk# about the history of the Miccosukee and the## Seminoles.

We hear so much about the Seminole# Indians in the state of Florida.

Talk a little## bit about both of those tribes, the significance.# And is there collaboration between the two tribes?

Well, the history goes back to pretty much the# Seminole Wars, where we banded together with## the Seminoles.

Seminole was actually derived# from a Spanish word, Seminole, and it became## Seminole to the Seminole people.

It's actually# not an Indian word.

Um, but they lumped us all## in as Seminoles during the Seminole Wars.

And so# we came down here.

Um, you know, uh, they were## recognized back in 58 or somewhere around there# in the 50s 5757.

And then we requested for the## government that we wanted to be recognized as our# own tribe.

Um, because we had some cultural and## political differences.

When that happened, the# two tribes pretty much split.

We were recognized## as a separate tribe.

And right now, you know,# we share family and all that.

We have a really## good relationship with the Seminole tribe now.# Excellent communication and collaboration on## different things to especially the environment.# Which is so important.

I know that's really been## a focus for you, Popeye, lately.

And we'll# talk a little bit about that in a moment.# But you're the youngest member of the Business# Council.

You were a teacher for a really long## time.

You're an artist.

You've been really focused# on the youth and education.

Talk a little bit## about the importance of working with the young# people and teaching them your culture, but the## juxtaposition of living in the modern world.

How# do you do that?

It's of the utmost importance that## we focus on the young people because they're the# only reason we're going to have a future.

It's the## legacy that we need them to carry on.

And I know# growing up, I remember my grandparents being very## involved when I had questions.

They help give me# a lot of guidance and I see how I benefited from## that guidance.

So I had to make sure we passed# it on to the next generation.

That's the only## reason we're here, because we have that in our# tradition.

Young people teach old people and it's## a whole lifelong endeavor.

So you always have# to stay connected.

Throughout our whole life,## we actually have a embassy fellowship program# right now that we started recently, and that is so## high school and college graduates in the tribe, we# can train them a little bit more in-depth on the## tribe's history, how our government functions, how# tribes have function when the American government.# So that way they can speak upon the tribe's# history, whether it's to the general public or## to elected officials or whoever needs to know more# about the tribes so we can get done what we need## to get done.

We're trying to make sure these young# people realize they have a place and that they are## of value.

Talk a little bit about the relationship# between the Miccosukee and the Gators.

So from## time to time, you know, hard times, sometimes# gators will be hunted.

So that way there's## sustenance for us.

As they built the highway.# When our people were hunting, they noticed, hey,## these non-natives driving past, they're stopping# to watch us hunt the gator.

That's when we started## doing alligator wrestling, which was adapted# from traditional gator hunting techniques,## but obviously so we could keep the gator# alive now.

And that's where this whole sport## of alligator wrestling started, which it's really# more of a show, not so much a sport, but it gives## us an opportunity to stay connected with nature# and to teach others outside of here how nature is,## because these guys are incredibly misunderstood.

And it's also a reminder that no matter how much## you think things are in control, nature is still# able to win.

You as the Miccosukee have been in## this area and in the Everglades.

The modern world# out there is continued to evolve.

So talk about## what some of the biggest challenges have been for# the tribe and the rest of, say, South Florida,## for example.

Well, it's a lot of it's encroachment# and also water quality, right?

Um, and I think## that's become a bigger issue now as more people# have moved to Florida, they're beginning to## recognize the importance of the Everglades.# That's where they get their drinking water## from and everything.

I think people are starting# to hear our voice a little more on that.

You know,## we've been raising the alarm for a long time, and# it's good that people are starting to listen now,## and we're ready to educate.

Them as well.

We're# putting more effort into outreach and educating## government officials, because there's a lot of# important decisions that are about to be made.# For example, the wilderness designation# of Big Cypress, that's an issue that's## ongoing wilderness.

The way this country# approaches it basically says that, oh,## this piece of land we want to designate as# wilderness, it's no habitation by people,## no impact by people basically saying that# there is no history of humanity there.

And## we've been living in Big Cypress for centuries.# My grandmother Peggy, she's about she's almost## 100 years old.

She lives in a camp still.

And# to think like they want to disconnect her and## us from that land and act like we haven't# been present, like she was born out there,## not in a hospital.

It's important that we let# people know what's really at stake, because a lot## of people don't understand that we don't have Big# Cypress accessible to us.

That's where we hold our## ceremonies.

That's where we get medicine.

That's# where we get resources to build our homes, our## traditional homes, our chickens and things like# that.

If the Everglades is not helped, if it's not## cleaned up, those aquifers, they get polluted.

Millions of millions of South Floridians are## going to be out of water.

So that's like high# level stuff.

We have to keep in mind.

It's not## just us we're trying to protect and benefit# from.

It's the outside population as well that## we're looking out for in the end.

Talk about how# important Miccosukee Day was to the tribe.

It's## acknowledging our existence and our history, which# is often undercounted in modern times.

I mean,## a lot of people don't even know that we're still# around.

For the mayor to make this type of change## and especially the other county commissioners,# it's nice because it's a culmination of a lot## of the work our people have been doing.

Those# who were here before us and all the outreach## and education.

It's also a nice indicator that# we're moving past mythology and starting to## get into actual history, that's always the# most important thing to us.

Acknowledge the## actual history.

Let's talk a little bit about# the misconceptions that you think the outside## non-native world has with the Miccosukee Tribe.

The most common one, and that's why we have a## village, is because they think we live in Ttp's.# Or actually, you'd be surprised because I've## done a lot of traveling through the country and# people are like, Oh, what are you?

I always try## to describe myself as a human first, and people# don't like that.

When I get to describing myself## as Miccosukee, it's like, Oh, you're native.

And# sometimes you'll be like, Oh, we thought you were## all dead.

It’s to that level.

Yeah.

And we have# a different way of philosophy.

The way we look## at life.

For example, we have gaming.

But that's# only so we can fund everything we're doing here.## As far as trying to protect the environment.

It's# actually in our Constitution.

We have to conserve## the land and resources for future generations.# So that's what everything is going towards.

And## a lot of people think we're doing gaming just# because we want money.

It's like, no, we need## that to keep doing the important stuff.

That's# just the means to an end.

You are an artist.# Paipai somewhat.

Yeah.

No You are.

I've seen your# work.

Talk a little bit about Miccosukee culture## and some of the artistry that is on display.

That# is really quite beautiful.

Well, I like to think## in some ways art saved us because that's what you# really saw.

Are people developing when they were## left in peace here after the war times, that's# when you saw stuff like patchwork being developed,## Palmetto's dolls beating and stuff like that came# a little bit later through trading or whatnot.## We teach that to our students at the school# in the Miccosukee Language Arts Department,## because we want to make sure they have that skill# because like if you look at like the Patrick here,## this was developed out here in the swamps and# it's informed by our existence out here in## the Everglades.

Trent, we're here with your# beautiful beating, this beautiful work that## you do.

What inspires you?

Uh, the creative# freedom, you know, to take some of them, put## in your own hands, make something out of# it, and just the colors and everything.# It kind of, you know, get your mind going.# Like, what's the process?

How am I going to## go about this?

And, you know, you just see it in# your head and it just goes from there.

This is a## daisy chain and this is what we learned back# in like second or third grade.

The simplest## form you could do.

But later on I kind# of added this to make it, you know.

A little more different, make it pop.

You# were also mentioning that within clans,## you cannot marry one another, even if you're not# necessarily blood related.

When you're in a clan,## it doesn't necessarily mean you're a blood# relation, correct?

That's correct.

It's## more of a cultural connection, which is honestly# more important in some ways than the blood part,## because clans is what keeps our culture alive.

If# you have a clan, you're able to immerse yourself## in the traditional ways.

So if you want to do# medicine, if you want to dance, you want to sing,## You need to make sure that you know, you're# keeping this clan lineage alive.

And we get## those from our mother.

So that also keeps that# connection going.

We do know that the Mikitchook## are a matriarchal society.

Telworx talk a little# bit about that and the role of the female.

The## women have a lot of power in our tribe.

There's# always going to be ahead of clan, and that woman## makes most of the decisions for the family and# the decisions that affect the tribe as well.# So, you know, we always rely on the woman's# opinions on that Hmm.

And their decisions?## Yeah.

Actually, when I ran for this office.# I did flip a coin.

But before I flip the## coin.

I checked with my grandma.

If I should even# entertain this idea.

She was cool with it.

Yeah,## Yeah.

She's always been a she's been a# good advisor for me.

My mom told me not to,## but I didn't.

I don't listen.

What is a# really important message that you would## like non-Natives to know?

You know, for us,# the tribe.

I think it's evident in everything## that we've accomplished that the tribe always# adapts.

We're just going to keep on going.

And,## you know, we're always going to be here.

And we# always want to be good neighbors through to the## people in South Florida.

So, you know, provide# jobs, give back to the economy and, you know,## fight for the Everglades as well for them,# not just for us.

History tells us what we've## done and what we should do and what we shouldn't# do.

And American history is intrinsically tied## in with native history, because so much has# been in action or reaction to our existence.# But when you prioritize American mythology over# history, that basically leaves us completely out## of the book.

I mean, that's why we're# doing this right now so people can get## a better understanding.

I mean, you have people# living in Miami-Dade or Collier County, Broward,## all their life, but they don't know anything# really about Seminole or Miccosukee other than,## oh, they both have gaming.

So to me, that speaks# a lot on the work that we need to do.

And not just## us, but as a people.

We need to acknowledge# reality.

Being on the same page so we can move## forward together.

Popeye I know the Everglades# are such a big part of your tribe's history.## That's right.

Pam.

The Everglades have been# our home for generations, and we manage over## 300,000 acres here.

And it's so much more than# just land to us.

It's a part of who we are.

And## it's our responsibility to protect it for future# generations.

And the tribe just received a $15## million grant to continue that important work# right.

Yes.

And this grant will help us face## new challenges, new environmental challenges.

We're honoring our connection to the land.## And now the next generation is stepping up# to carry that legacy forward.

Let's take a## look at how the Miccosukee Tribe is fighting# to preserve the Everglades for the future.

I come from Pan-trk clan.

We're basically one big# family living out in the Everglades.

Living out## here is very relaxing and cleansing.

Firstly,# to be part of my people and part of my family.## I drive airboats with my family.

So driving# out there in the water, hunting and fishing,## it gives me a view of life and it makes me# mature and grow up then living out in the## city.

There's nothing like the Everglades.

I mean,# historically, it's pretty sad to see how a lot## has died out.

But for it to keep going in that# resistance is something to hang on to.

I mean,## we have these Prehistoric alligators, these# birds, all kinds of wading birds and deer and## bears.

My ancestors must have lived a really long# and hard life.

So there's a reason why they stayed## for thousands of years.

And it's something to# hang on to.

The Everglades is in many ways like## the heart of this ecosystem.

It is the source of# the freshwater supplies for about half or more## of South Florida.

It is the source of drinking# water.

It is an incredible carbon sink, which to## a great deal offsets many of the emissions# that are being produced in South Florida.# The tribal government puts a great deal of# emphasis on protecting the natural ecosystem## within the Constitution of the Miccosukee Tribe# and the very preamble of the Constitution.

There## is a duty for the tribal government to conserve# the Everglades within the Central Everglades.## There are quite a few threats to the tribal way# of life and to the ecosystem which the Tribe## manages.

There's a lot of polluted water that# is coming south from Lake Okeechobee and from## the agricultural areas which surround it.

The# tribe was successful in its litigation in the## mid 20 teens and enforcing its own water quality# standards.

Additionally there are really high## water levels covering the central Everglades.# This is not natural.

It is the product of## artificial management which is raising these# water levels and swamping traditional tribal## lands.

There is a great deal of invasive# species which are beginning to colonize in## the Everglades.

These are disrupting the native# species foodways and settlement patterns, and## there are threats to make sukys continued access# to the natural ecosystem in here, particularly## within Big Cypress National Preserve, where# the federal government has proposed a potential## wilderness designation which could restrict# tribal access to 147,000 to 192,000 acres.# All tribes are sovereign nations.

This means# sometimes when there is another sovereign like## the state of Florida that has not taken measures# to protect the ecosystem, the tribe can take its## own measures within the limits of its sovereignty# to effect those changes.

And oftentimes,## this does mean going above and beyond what the# federal or state government would do in order to## protect the Everglades.

I work for U.S.

Fish and# Wildlife, our own fish and wildlife for the tribe.## And on a typical day, I would always be tasked# with field work and putting that filter into## data.

So it comes back to my tribe and tells us# all about our environment.

We live close to these## animals, and especially the alligators.

So that's# a real big indicator for us.

These are our big,## major focus of our department, especially our# deeres giving birth on the island still or food## resources for the Deeres because I directly comes# back to my people.

A lot of our Florida trees,## native footed trees for our medicine,# are on the radar of being threatened.# So we try to match everything together and see how# can we fix this problem and what to tell the tribe## and how are we going to put this in good, valuable# data for the government?

The Everglades is a## vast space.

It is a space which was historically# effectively stewarded by indigenous peoples alone.## But for a variety of reasons, there are not quite# as many native folks left in the state of Florida.## And so we do need to depend on partners, whether# those be non-profit organizations or federal and## state agencies, because these are the entities# that often hold the purse strings, have the levers## of power, have donors and organizing capacity that# can help motivate issues and get issues in front## of Congress, in front of other decision makers.# There is not a single thing that has happened## in the Everglades over the past, I don't know, 20# or 30 years, which has not substantively been the## product of coalition building.

The problem is when# those coalitions do not include the tribe.

And so## we work really hard to make sure that the tribe# has its voice centered in Everglades restoration.# Someone has to get their hands dirty, and it has# to be someone that is native or has that blood to## be connected to the environment.

I love animals,# I have always loved animals and the outdoors.## And when I came down to the rez and I started# learning my cultural way, it really tied in to## what I want to be and who I am.

However I turn,# if I look away from my tribe or look away from the## outdoors.

It comes back to me because my blood.# I'm always going to be connected to the outdoors## and to this land.

The young folks out here# are really invested in Everglades restoration,## because it's the ecosystem that they're going# to inherit, that they're going to raise their## children and grandchildren in.

And I think many# folks who are growing up here have heard stories## from their elders about, you know, vast flocks of# migratory birds coming through of just plentiful## deer and game.

And today you don't see that.# And there is sort of an inflection point that## have reached where if major actions aren't taken,# there won't be much left for the next generation.# And I think they're realizing that and they're# getting invested in this.

The tribe really## appreciates the funding support provided by# the federal government through the EPA Climate## Pollution Reduction Grant, which was recently# awarded to the tribe this past month.

It is## $14.999 million, which is a really large sum# of money.

A great deal of this will go towards## a fleet conversion to electric vehicles.# Another large chunk of that money is going## to expand the EV fast charging infrastructure.# Additionally, there were funds set aside in that## grant for green building materials to help# support tribal home construction efforts.## I think a lot of people have to come together to# ensure that the Everglades is resilient to climate## change.

And so we have to listen to the indigenous# people that are charting a very, very clear course## forwards, of course, towards restoration.

Of# course towards restoring traditional water levels,## species diversity, water quality.

Miccosukee has# been on the front lines of all of these fights## for decades, if not centuries, if not millennia.

But there is truly no substitute for Indigenous## stewardship of Indigenous lands.

There is no# Everglades without Indigenous people at the## heart of the Everglades.

And so we really have# to rally behind the tribe and its partners as## we move into a decade of increasing threats# to the Everglades ecosystem and to the health## of our state and its waters.

My message to# non-natives, please come learn our history.## We'll show you how to save our environment and# save our homeland.

The traditional and respectful## way.

We're always open to teach our history and# our culture, because we'll always stay here.

And we will never die out.

And now, as we wrap# up our time with the Miccosukee Tribe, we want## to share something new and special with you# that's bringing Miccosukee, youth and outsiders## together.

It's a new trail skate park nestled# in the heart of the Everglades, which has been## a passion project for you, right, Popeye?

That's# right.

Pam.

I grew up skating in this community,## and it really kept us as a community, especially# for us younger folks.

In fact, it was often the## only place where we would feel comfortable giving# just positive reinforcement.

So I wanted to make## sure that we had this available for our youth# today.

And that's what makes it a unique space.## And more than just a skate park, it's a sanctuary# for young natives to connect and express their## passion for the sport.

All right.

Let's take a# look now at how the skate park is giving young## Miccosukee a place to thrive, while also allowing# them to share their culture and the beauty of the## Everglades with the wider community.

So growing up# on the reservation, you always see your brothers,## cousins and all that, doing new hobbies,# and you always think, That's so cool.# And skateboarding was the hobby here.

You saw# it everywhere.

The Trail Skate Park project was## spearheaded by me and aided by Trent and Randoll# Osceola.

This is the first step stone of our new## community.

They wanted to show the community# that everything is going to be nice and that## we're in good hands.

They wanted to make this# spot look super pretty.

Not only for the tribe,## but for everybody who comes by.

I mean, there's# skate parks all over town.

I've been a lot in## Authorization's, but it's like you don't get# like a view like this to where you just can## look and look.

You just see the Everglades right# behind you.

It looks amazing.

We had a skate park## back then, but it was nothing like this.

And# especially for the generation coming up.

Now,## there's some people who, if they really want# to hone in their skills and get really good## at skateboarding, it could definitely be done# here.

They have everything they need now to## elevate their skill levels here.

This is supposed# to be like an all-around park beginner to expert.# You can be anything.

You can write whatever# you want.

When the park was first done,## it was just white, white with black rose there# in the right sunlight.

Probably like right now## it be blinding.

So that was one of the first# problems that was getting art or anything put## on here.

Just to kind of reduce that.

My team came# in and rocked the bowl again and hit some vertical## spaces that weren't going to have that much wear# and tear behind me is sort of like that anchor## piece that you're greeted with when you first# arrive here.

It's the trail Skate Park sign,## which has some cypress trees and of course, the# legendary skunk that's flying through it like a## heron and to some nice typography.

So when you# arrive it says trail skate park.

And then you## went to the park and start ripping.

I think# what was really cool about this project was## that the youth who actually skates this# park had a big imprint on the marks that## were actually made at each of the public# hearings that we had leading into it.

We## had voices saying like, it would be cool# to represent the different tribes here.# But also we don't have to be so buttoned up# and formal about it here in the Bowl.

One of## the things that we were really focusing on was# the utility of it.

So when this was originally## painted, it was way too bright.

It's super sunny# out here.

The skaters wanted something to identify## where they were in the bowl.

So what we did was# just line the edge of it with different icons and## characters that represented where we are in the# different clans here.

On the heels of our project,## Ray slid in and started matching the sunset with# these beautiful gradients that you can see behind## me.

Naturally, being in the Everglades,# I wanted to emulate what surrounds us and## bring back in what is actually around us.# So having these marshes full of sawgrass## and birds and these sunset colors, these# gradients that kind of go up as a skater,## you feel as if you're flowing with the direct park# as long as you're kind of following the sunset## gradient.

It was a group of 20 kids who would come# out.

My parents, my best friends, my assistants.# It was a truly a group effort from everyone# in order to make something this beautiful## happen and to see many of them know that their# addition to this park will last and stand the## test of time.

I really saw how into it that they# could become so that they could feel a part of## their own community.

This is their park.

And I# wanted them to feel as involved as they could.## A lot of.

The visitors will come just# because they love the Everglades,## but none of them actually ever been into the# actual Everglades.

They'll just drive along 41,## see everything from the bridge.

But once they're# here and they're all set up and ready to start## skating, they'll tell me they have like, this# brief moment where they just.

And just listen## to nature.

They never get that.

I think just# giving people this exposure that they need,## that this is the only place in the world that# we need to preserve it.

I think that's like## the best thing ever.

When it came to allowing# visitors to come by non-natives to be specific.## That was always my intention with this.

I love seeing new faces, meeting new people,## where they're from.

It's so cool just seeing# their style.

Then that way they'll know we're## still here.

We're still.

We still exist.

And we're# just like you.

I like to skate.

You like to skate.## There doesn't have to be this barrier where people# think they're not welcome here.

We're happy that## people take interest in the Everglades and our# tribe, our skate park.

They come through and## see us and hope they realize we're people like# them to.

The way we operate now is Monday to## Friday is usually tribal members.

They take rains# Saturday and Sunday.

Everyone's welcome to come.## We're open from sunrise to sunset.

We ask that# you just take care of everything.

Take care of## each other and just have fun.

Pop, I thank you so# much for being with us today.

It was my pleasure.## And you're welcome back anytime.

For more# information on the Miccosukee Tribe in Village,## please visit miccosukee.com.

And for more# stories about your community, visit South## Florida PBS.org Forward.slash USF.

I'm Pam Gigantti.

And I'm Popeye.## And as always, thank you so# much for watching.

And.

For.