When Seminole medicine man Bobby Henry has to make it rain, he tosses a live gopher tortoise into the air. That angers the gods because “turtles not s’posed to fly,” he said. When the gods get sufficiently angry, they roar with thunder and hurl spears of lighting. If Bobby keeps

By Chris C. Jenkins HOLLYWOOD — A dose of tradition, culture and fun summed up the 41st annual Tribal Fair. Tribal citizens and special guests came together from Feb. 10-12 at Hollywood’s Paradise Live for the festivities. The tried-and-true formula brought back music and dance performances; authentic, Native apparel and merchandise; live animal

By Chris C. Jenkins HOLLYWOOD — Among the dozens to sign up, only two were chosen to represent the Tribe as royalty on Feb. 10. A new batch of close to 50 female and male candidates vied for the popular, year-long positions of Little Mr. and Miss Florida Seminole. The Paradise Theater

By Kathryn Stolarz HOLLYWOOD — They come from all across the country – and even beyond. They pack pieces of their hearts, their histories, their cultures. And they showcase it all once a year at the Seminole Tribal Fair. Vendors and their booths have been Tribal Fair staples since the event began,

By Travis R. Billie HOLLYWOOD — The group known as the Osceola Brothers Band, led by Cameron, 15, and backed by Tyson, 13, and Sheldon, 10, is explosive. The Hollywood natives rocked their last show, which was at the Tribal Fair, leaving audience members screaming for more. After a few encores,

By Naji Tobias BIG CYPRESS — For the second time in three years, the home team has come out on top. Team Big Cypress enjoyed their victory at the 12th annual Rez Rally on Jan. 21 with sunny skies and plenty of smiling faces. The team garnered 273 registered participants in the

By Naji Tobias BIG CYPRESS — “Everybody is a winner!” It’s a phrase that Seminole Health Director Connie Whidden likes to use when it comes to all Rez Rally participants. Whidden, like many other Rez Rally participants, spent months preparing for the Tribe’s biggest race of the year and getting into shape. The

CHOKOLOSKEE — One thing that Lynn Smallwood-McMillin can’t get out of her mind is the unfairness of it all. “If a Circuit Court Judge ordered you or I or just about anybody on the street to do something and we openly defied the order, why, we would go right to jail

By Judy Weeks IMMOKALEE — The passage of time may have taken its physical toll on Louise Motlow, but she cherishes vivid memories that span more than three-quarters of a century. She was born sometime prior to 1932 in a region often referred to as "Florida’s last frontier," while her family

BRIGHTON — The Travel Channel’s Andrew Zimmern journeys across the globe searching for unique cultures and foods to showcase on his television show "Bizarre Foods," and the Seminole Tribe of Florida made the cut. From Dec. 7-8, Zimmern traveled to the Brighton Reservation to experience the traditional Seminole way of life