Seminole Tribe Research Paper

IGOVERNMENT Each village and tribe had a government led by a chief. The chief made decisions on matters such as food storage, celebrations, building, and farm planning. The chief's position was sometimes inherited. Other times, though, he was chosen for his wisdom and experience. He had advisors and council elders to help him. A war chief took care of military matters. All people could give their opinions on major decisions. Florida Seminole reservations today are run by elected tribal councils. The Seminole Tribe of Florida also has a board of directors that is in charge of economic matters. The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma elects a chief and an assistant chief. All decisions about economic matters, social programs, and job opportunities are made by the General Council. This body has two representatives from each of the tribe's 14 groups.
They believed in spiritual beings that dealt fairly with humans. One Seminole god was the Preserver of Life, who gave life and took it away. Another was the Corn Mother, the goddess of farming. Yet another was Thunder, the god of rain and war. In addition to good spirits, the Seminole believed that water panthers and horned rattlesnakes lived in the water and drowned swimmers. They also believed in little people who lived in forests. Everyone in the tribe practiced everyday rituals to maintain nature's balance. People asked an animal's forgiveness before they killed it. Before they ate it, they tossed a piece of meat into the fire. This was a sacrifice to the slain animal. Medicine bundles were sacred. They were made up of 600 to 700 bits of stone, herbs, dried animal parts, feathers, and other objects. They were used to protect the tribe's well-being. The Seminole of Oklahoma call the "stomp dance" their traditional religion. The stomp dance comes from the Green Corn Dance, a ceremony the Seminole brought when they left