The Seminoles

Like other Native Americans, the Seminoles believed that a long time ago only water covered the world, and then an animal rose from the bottom of the sea. The animal was the turtle. The turtle swam so much that he got tired. The Breath Taker took pity on him and helped him by giving him a place to stay. As the turtle rested his back began to crack. Out of the cracks came the people. When the people came out the cracks closed and the squares became the homes of the people.

The Seminoles once belonged to the Muskogee tribe. They dressed differently. The women wore cool. loose fitting clothes. They had long skirts, and cape-like blouses. The shirts of the men reached their knees. Both men and women wore leather moccasins.

Girls spent most of their time with the older females. With them they learned how to cook, sew, and weave. The boys wore long shirts until they were old enough to hunt. Men could have more than one wife, but a woman could only have one husband.