l88 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



or shady standing place under the thatch. The Indians sit or re- 

 cline on the platform without using cushions, benches, or furnishings 

 of any sort. Their bedding consists only of light blankets which are 

 stored under the roof, together with personal belongings. Thus the 

 writer obtained an old spoon made of custard-apple wood which was 

 stored by thrusting it under the rafters of the roof. 



A portion of the village in which songs were recorded in February, 

 1931, is shown in Figure 176. The interpreter was Cory Osceola, a 

 direct descendant of the warrior of that name. His wife and child 

 appear in Figure 175. Work was also done in the Seminole village 

 near Dania. 



Several families use one cooking fire, but it appears that each has its 

 own food and utensils and eats alone if desired. The Seminole cooking 

 fire consists of logs arranged like the spokes of a wheel with an open 

 space in the center. The number of logs varies from five to ten and 

 they are equally spaced except at one point where the wider space is 

 often filled by a box used as a seat. In the open space at the center a 

 small fire is kindled for each meal and the logs are pushed forward 

 as they are needed. The women put their kettles and skillets on the 

 fire or ashes and often sit on the logs while at work. A typical camp 

 fire is shown in Figure 180. The people eat chiefly from the cooking 

 utensils. The dishes are put in pans of water after a meal, and 

 washed while the next meal is being prepared. A high table for dishes 

 is placed near the fire, and the heavy utensils are hung on crotched 

 sticks or on the house-posts, if not placed on this table. Between 

 meals the dogs often sleep in the ashes. 



Corn is a staple article of food among the Seminole, and the man- 

 ner of planting, harvesting, and storing corn was studied, winnowing 

 and sifting baskets being obtained. The Big Cypress Seminole were 

 seen eating a porridge made of corn, the liquid being drunk from 

 a cup, and the corn in the bottom of the cup being removed and 

 eaten with the fingers. 



The clothing of the Seminole at present, as in the past, is like the 

 brilliant plumage of tropical birds. The material is a patchwork made 

 by cutting cotton cloth into strips and pieces of various sizes and sew- 

 ing these together on hand sewing machines. Children and adults 

 dress alike except that some men and boys now wear dark trousers, 

 with full blouses of patchwork. A color scheme often appears in 

 an entire garment but the women seem free to combine colors as 

 they desire, producing a bold, artistic effect. The costume of a 

 woman consists of a long, full skirt and a cape, and many chains of 

 beads are worn about the neck. A little girl's dress is the same but 



