The Spanish Seminole: The Untold History of the Spanish Indians as Told by a Descendant
David Rahahę·tih Webb
OCTOBER 10, 2024 7PM EST (ONLINE EVENT REGISTRATION LINK
In the 1700s, as Florida’s Indigenous tribes were displaced, the forebears of the Miccosukee and Seminole descended along the southwestern Gulf Coast. They soon began working with Hispanic-Latino and Indigenous fishermen from various Spanish colonies, who had seasonal operations along the barrier islands, including Sanibel. Eventually, these seasonal operations became prolific year-round fisheries and communities, incorporating the fishing practices previously learned from the 6,000-year-old Calusa culture. Their productive estuarine fisheries were called ranchos, which served the same significant commercial and cultural function that the deerskin trade did for their contemporaries. The author, David Rahahę·tih Webb, is adding to our understanding of the ranchos- writing from the perspective of a descendant. His direct ancestors, Juan and Mary Montes de Oca and family, belonged to the Sanibel Island Spanish Seminole rancho community.
An educator, historian, and environmental scientist, David Rahahę·tih Webb has served several organizations in nonprofit leadership, spanning more than two decades. David is the executive director of Muddy Sneakers Outdoor Classroom, an environmental education organization serving students across North Carolina. David belongs to the Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina. His culture has shaped his worldview and is central to his life. David serves as a culture keeper and historian for his community and others. He is a traditional and contemporary Native American artist, working in sculpture, beadwork, and other mediums, featured in museum exhibits and permanent collections throughout the eastern United States. He was recently awarded the Artist in Residence in Everglades fellowship. David is also a descendant of the Spanish Seminoles (Spanish Indians) living at the Sanibel Island rancho. His family included the first documented births on the Island and in southern Florida. He recently authored The Spanish Seminole: The Untold History of the Spanish Indians as Shared by a Descendant, which presents a detailed account of the Spanish Indians— their history, culture, and legacy. Sharing his love for history, the environment, and his own culture are his passions.