Originally published in 2006
Reviewed by Ramona Kiyoshk
The latest project of the enterprising Seminole Nation of Florida is a collection of short stories by its members who share highlights of their individual healing journeys. Some essays are poignant examples of how the contributor turned adversity into a personal victory. Others are blood memories that are awakened by an incident in everyday life. The coffee table-style hardcover book is titled A Fire Under the Chickee and Other Short Stories by the Seminoles of Florida and their Descendants. It is published by the Seminole Tribe of Florida Health Department and the focus is holistic wellness. The project received funding from the Special Diabetes Program, a program of the Indian Health Services Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention. The book may be purchased by visiting the Seminole Tribe:
The format of incorporating many voices is based on the Healing Circle concept of First Nations peoples across North America. In the Circle, personal stories are shared around a fire with the objective of healing through trust-building and disclosure. That the Seminole Tribe put their stories into print is a testament to their determination to build a strong community and create a benchmark of where they are today. It is also a gift to all members of their community and to the world at large.
The Seminoles call themselves “The Unconquered” and they live like champions, taking charge of their present and future, and reaching into the past for the wisdom of the ancestors whose legacy of independence and pride they strive to uphold. They may be few in number, about 3000 citizens comprising five communities in the state of Florida, but their visions are huge, their ambitions immense and their sense of reality rock solid.
Just a few decades ago, they endured crippling poverty, moving from place to place wherever shelter and work were offered. Some lived as fixtures in amusement parks and others slept in the barns of solicitous farmers. Still their spirits never faltered. Under a spreading oak tree off State Road 7 in Hollywood, Florida, the straggling tribal members would gather to plan their survival. Since those hungry days, the Seminoles have become an economic force, their youth excelling in scholarship and sports, their Elders tenaciously nurturing the traditional teachings and their community a showcase of twenty-first century affluence. The Council Oak in Hollywood still stands, symbolic in its endurance, strength and beauty.
Yet there is much work to be done, and the Seminoles are up for it. Their success is built on what is best for the community and this amazing new book is an example of their commitment to that core value. Wellness, in their vision, is based on a sound balance of intellect, body, emotions and spirit. The stories in this collection endorse that philosophy. They are also a reflection of First Nations’ innate ties to the Earth and respect for all her gifts. The book could also be called Native American Life Skills 101.
The title entry, A Fire Under the Chickee, is a story about a young wife’s dream of having a home with a traditional chickee in her back yard. She waits a long time for this dream to come true and when it finally happens, she is thankful for a place to gather with her children, family and neighbors. Diane S. Smith tells her story with warmth and grace.
In Moving Water, Jim Herbert writes about his Seminole name and how the name reflects his philosophy, adapting to each situation that arises, be it challenge or reward. He likens his life journey to water flowing to the ocean and always arriving there, no matter what obstacles get in the way.
In Words of Motivation, Lee Zepeda talks about a high school teacher who advised him to abandon a dream of going to law school because becoming an attorney was very difficult. Zepeda went university and majored in Social Services and History instead. Later, at the urging of tribal members, he got a law degree. Although he does not practice law, he says the training is applicable to many situations. He advises young people to follow their dreams and know they can make them come true.
Josephine Motlow North’s Dad’s Advice is a tribute to communication and voice. Sometimes words are essential, but other times, things can be communicated without language.
Charles Billie Hiers, Sr. has an encounter with a herd of domesticated buffalo and is transported briefly to another time in Imagining Buffalo. The Earth trembles under the hoofs of the herd and Hiers is humbled for a brief moment by the power of an imaginary stampede.
