viernes, 20 de junio de 2008

Comparing and contrasting Seminoles Culture Vs Colombian Culture

By: Diana Ortiz
Paula Caceres
Felipe Vega

Nowadays Cultures can be compared with the ancient ones, and it is possible to find some similarities, but in fact there are more differences. An example of that is the contrast between the Colombian and Seminole Culture.

In terms of similarities, some people of both cultures adopt the Christianism as their religion belief. Also into this culture, there is a ceremony to be married. Those two are most relevant similarities.

However they have some differences in files life the family structure. For example in the Seminoles tribe is common to find families with two or more wives. In contrast, in Colombian families duogamy is not allowed. In the Seminole tribe the members can’t choose their couple, while Colombian people can choose in a free way the couple. Moreover the Seminole girls get married at 16 years old, and men at 20 years old. In Colombian culture the marriage is a free decision.

The ceremonies also change between those two cultures. For example the burial ritual in the Seminoles society consists on carries the deceased body to the Everglades and put it close to his possessions. Colombian people also celebrate a burial ceremony, but they don’t put the possession surrounding the body.

All in all both cultures have similarities but have differences, specially in the family structure and in rituals.

SEMINOLES HEROES

BY: Diana Ortiz

In the culture Seminole, existed several wars to obtain an economic and law independence. To the passage of these tensions they went honoring personages in the life of the tribe in where of the passage of history heroes took control of their tribe thanks to the contribution done for the well-being of the community.

We found two heroes representative, that thanks to his honor obtained to several profits for the freedom and protection of the inhabited territory. Abraham in 1837 and 1838 defended to his community whipped by the slavery; on the contrary John Horse in 1849 and 1850 defended it of the attacks of the Mexican Indians whom they loved to transfer the border and to invade his territory. We found that these two soldiers of the culture Seminole, each that in his determined time, they marked the history of the community and they stood out like leaders of the same one.
These two personages have some similarities, but without doubt, noticeable differences.


On the other hand, both soldiers Seminoles focused in the protection of the community, without mattering what he could happen to them to obtain it. Abraham in the second war Seminole I release of the slavery to a multitude of people Seminoles of General Jesup giving them the freedom, on the other hand, Horse, protected the borders of its territory of the bad intentions of Mexican soldiers whom they loved to invade the space and to adapt it anyway to it.

On the contrary these two soldiers handled noticeable differences in the form to act their community in front of, on the other hand Abraham assured nonknowledge that came for its future, in its unfortunate life, thus did not concern that it happened with its life, on the contrary Horse to him gave the life by the others like a sacrifice marked in its life, by the protection of the life of its community before himself.

On the other hand, the personality of these two heroes was specially different, since Abraham recognized itself in the diplomacy to solve any conflict, different from Horse that preferred the violence beings that the conciliation. It is significant to stand out that Horse more than Abraham I look for the benefit of the community without thinking about him, and always respect as much to its friends as to its enemies.

Even though which in the culture Seminoles existed wars, thanks to these could obtain their independence. The heroes marked to history thanks to their valiant performances for the well-being and the security of the community Seminole.

jueves, 19 de junio de 2008

death and burial ritual

By : Paula Caceres

Into the Seminole culture there is an important ceremony about the death, the information of this ceremony is reduced; in fact the ceremony varies in each case.

For example when john tiger, an important man in the tribe died, his burial ceremony consist in put the decease body in a casket and then in a canoe and taken to the everglades.
The tribe member in charge of the burial chewed bay leaves and spat and the men who carried the casket, for give them strength and to ward evil spirits.

When they arrived to a specific place, they leave the casket and spat against the bay leaved, but this time spat the casket. At this moment also put near the casket some possession of dead man and leaves the body approximately for thirty days. After this ceremony the body would be carried to the resting deep place.

John tiger’s family leaves their houses, and Mrs. Tiger went to the everglades for 6 weeks. Trough this ceremony the men and women were crying and their hair handing loose.
Other example of this ritual was the dead of a Seminole girl in the entrance of her husband store. The body still in the same place until it was ready for final disposal. The women and boys stay in the place and didn’t do any move, while a medicine man sat near the place and sang and sprinkled all the day.

In the burial ceremony, the Seminoles also put near the decease body food and drink in containers, during three consecutives days by three different people. Nevertheless, the possession and every item are broken before put in the coffin, because this tribe believed that the breaking of an abject sets the spirit free.


http://jaxx18x.tripod.com/seminoleindians/id6.html

TRADE SEMINOLE TRIBE

BY: FELIPE VEGA

Prior to the Seminole tribe had a route to trade, that route now is known as the Ocmulgee river. Since 1734 the european colonist began move among the seminoles.

some europeans were married with indian women for take the power in the clans. The trade began when the husband of the indian women, gave clothes to him. little by little the Indians went away adapting a new style life. like "Shiny and colorful European glass beads replaced the shell beads the Indians had previously worn for decoration along with their tattooing or body paint. Wool and cotton cloth replaced hides for clothing". Also the women using the new cloth materials, metal needles, and thread traded for deer hides.

the same happened with indian men, they sarted looking the europeans how wore, and they look that the indians women preferred the europeans men. therefore the warriors started to "spent increasingly more time and went greater distances to hunt deer or other animals providing furs or skins for trade"






http://www.kislakfoundation.org/millennium-exhibit/downs1.htm

lunes, 16 de junio de 2008

LANGUAGES, DIFFERENCES WITH MICCOSUKEE TRIBE , AND NAMES FOR SEMINOLES TRIBE

BY: FELIPE VEGA


The seminole tribe have 2 tipical languages, the Maskókî and Mikisúkî, this two language is only two languages among the dozens languages spoken by the ancestral in southeast. The Maskókî is called creek too by the speakers. Maskókî only speak in oklahoma as in south Florida. Mikisúkî is a dialect of Hitchiti, it was it a dialect of the typical language, Maskókî.

Besides, seminole and miccosukee tribu was the same tribe, they have differences in political but never in cultural. Prior to 1957 the seminole tribe created a political orzanizational called the Seminole Tribe of Florida, as a result that in 1962 the Miccosukee tribu created the same organization with other name Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.

The seminole tribe, has differents philosophies, such as, the married ceremony, structure family and the names for the children. Before to the baby birth, his mother gives a name,this name dure for 14 years, thereafter, the community does a ceremony to gives him titles in battle or as community leaders, this all depend, the young of the behavior had , and his style, like, warrior or community leader. for example the young is a warrior, he is called asén yahola.

Religious believes

BY:PAULA CACERES


The Seminoles are one of the five tribes that has a fast adaptation of the white mans civilization. Some of the Seminoles, converted to Christianity, however some others never considered converting to the christen faith, and continue with the ancient tribal beliefs.

In these ancient beliefs, are present a Great Spirit, and some other good and bad spirits, these spirits may influence the affairs of men and are appeased with offerings and prayers. Seminoles believe in a sky world( above the earth) and in a sub world(below the earth), moreover believe that all the creatures and inanimate things have spirit, and the spirit set free when the object is broken or the creature dies. Additionally they believe in legendary creatures, like mischievous dwarf-like creatures and mythical serpents of irregular size, and extraordinary abilities.

Seminoles think that humans are weak, and the super natural are all powerful, in this way, they believe in an orderly world, in consequence when they hunted and killed animals, the know is necessary keep things intact, so they would apologize to the animals, through rituals and purified themselves.


http://jaxx18x.tripod.com/seminoleindians/id3.html

FAMILY

by: DIANA ORTIZ

SEMINOLE FAMILY
The family is the base of the society, giving to emphasis in the culture and the reproduction the community seminole it has one structures relative based on his beliefs and customs that make individual and different front from the different tribes from North America.

The family in the tribe seminole is conformed by a husband, one or more wives and the children. Already which the tribe is located in Florida, this is due to prevail by some laws of the same one. Therefore when a husband leaves state and is committed in marriage with another woman was of the limits of the state, it commits bigamy, and it is punished so much with the law of the United States and the Seminole tribe.

The consolidation of a family initiates in the conformation of the pair. This occurs of the following way. A man around the 20 years or less can be interested in a woman of 16 years. When this is past, the man goes to the father of the woman of which one has been interested. They make an agreement between the families and one arrives a date for the commitment and the wedding. The marriage ceremony is generally a very simple and simple ritual. It is made in the house of the mother of the law. The day of the marriage ceremony the fiancès sleep their respective paternal houses and on the following day conyugues, will be able to live in their own house.

When one is a divorce, the tribe seminole is very strict. And single east event occurs when the husband does not fulfill the requirements to him to the wife. Then one reaches an agreement and the spouses separate. The woman remains living in the house with the children and the man must go away to another place.

The family of seminoles is of traditional, and full culture costumary strict. It is important to emphasize the quality in the education and transmission of the culture.


http://www.nanations.com/seminole/seminole/seminole-society.htm#Family