20th annual Rez Rally – a healthy start to new decade for hundreds of runners, walkers

by Beverly Bidney - January 30, 2020September 19, 2024

BIG CYPRESS — More than 650 people came from every reservation and every generation, from elders to infants, to compete and connect at the 20th annual Rez Rally on Jan. 11 in Big Cypress. The breezy, cool weather at the platinum edition of Rez Rally couldn’t have been better. The

Rally founders look back at 20 years

by Beverly Bidney - January 30, 2020September 19, 2024

BIG CYPRESS — Back at the turn of the millennium, Connie Whidden and Suzanne Davis, who both worked in the Tribe’s health department, were looking for a way to get Tribal members to increase their physical activity. “We were working with people who had diabetes,” said Davis, Integrative Health program manager.

Ahfachkee murals preserved through laser scanning

by Beverly Bidney - January 30, 2020September 19, 2024

BIG CYPRESS — In 1993 and 1994, Seminole artist Mary Gay Osceola used her talent and experience to paint 13 murals on the walls of the Ahfachkee School in Big Cypress. Those murals, which depict Seminole life and legends, have been preserved for posterity despite the imminent demolition of the building,

Ahfachkee students win Intertribal Agricultural Council essay contest

by Beverly Bidney - January 7, 2020January 7, 2020

BIG CYPRESS — The idea of farming fish in cattle ponds was a winner for Makayla Torres in the Intertribal Agricultural Council’s youth essay contest. She celebrated the win at the IAC annual conference Dec. 9 to 12 in Las Vegas. The theme of the student essay contest was “Agriculture: Investing in

FGCU ‘Native American Festival’ celebrates patchwork

by Beverly Bidney - January 6, 2020September 19, 2024

FORT MYERS — Florida Gulf Coast University commemorated Native American culture in November by highlighting the art and culture of the Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes. The last event of the school’s second annual “Native American Festival” on Nov. 21 focused on patchwork. Seminole Tribal member Jessica Osceola, Miccosukee Tribal member Khadijah Cypress

Healthy cooking class teaches how to combat diabetes

by Beverly Bidney - January 6, 2020January 6, 2020

IMMOKALEE — The statistics about diabetes are chilling. More than 30 million Americans have diabetes and about 25 percent (7.2 million) don’t know it. Native Americans have a greater chance of getting diabetes than any other racial group in the U.S. They are more than twice as likely to get the disease

US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo visits Big Cypress

by Beverly Bidney - January 6, 2020September 19, 2024

BIG CYPRESS — As the nation’s official poet, the U.S. poet laureate aims to promote and raise the national consciousness of reading and writing poetry. As the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo takes it a step further. The most important aspect of her duties as Poet

Tribe’s Veterans Service Organization improves lives of Native and non-Native veterans

by Beverly Bidney - January 6, 2020September 19, 2024

BRIGHTON — U.S. Army veteran Raymond Jolly served in Vietnam from 1965-67 in areas where the herbicide Agent Orange was sprayed. When Jolly returned from service at age 23, he got married. Two years later, after feeling weak and passing out numerous times, he was diagnosed with diabetes. More symptoms

Valholly Frank speaks at UN climate change summit in Madrid

by Beverly Bidney - January 3, 2020September 19, 2024

Although hers is just one voice of many, climate activist and high school junior Valholly Frank isn’t shy about using it to help change the world. In late November and early December, Frank went to Madrid, Spain, to voice her concerns about climate change at the United Nations 25th annual Conference

The ‘1491s’ deliver numerous laughs at AIAC

by Beverly Bidney - December 6, 2019December 6, 2019

BIG CYPRESS — The American Indian Arts Celebration’s headlining comedy group the “1491s” made lemonade during their performance on Nov. 1. As it is every year, the first day of the AIAC is school field trip day. More than 600 school kids attended every event in the tent which included