Books with title Seminoles, The

The Florida Seminole are widely known as the only unconquered tribe in the United States. They began as an offshoot of Creek and other Indians who survived the diseases and warfare that took so many lives in the 16th century. In later years, they fought three wars with the United States and then faced a series of other crises. They saw their homelands taken from them and were forced to migrate hundreds of miles south to the Everglades. After decades of struggling to survive and efforts at assimilation taking a toll the path to success, the Seminole have recently undergone a dramatic transformation. The tribe now runs a billion dollar business and leads the national fight for tribal sovereignty and gaming rights. The rise of the politically and economically savvy Seminole has coincided with a renaissance in Seminole culture. The Seminole explores this unique transformation.

Native Americans occupy a turbulent, romantic and painful place in our nation's history and consciousness. At once a symbol of a time long past and a living, vital presence today, Native Americans are not simply the first Americans, but an essential thread woven into the fabric of American life. Lifeways examines the existences carved out by each tribe. Daily life, religious beliefs and sacred rituals are all explored, as well as a tribe's social systems, rules of warfare and their sense of themselves within the natural universe. In addition, the cycle of life -- from birth to marriage to death -- is revealed, including the roles played by men and women, boys and girls.