They didn’t wear much clothing due to Florida’s warm weather, however Calusa men wore tanned deerskin breechcloths and belts that indicated their position in society, while Calusa women wore woven skirts made from palmetto leaves and spanish moss. The Calusa were one of the few tribes known to be shell collectors.

What did the Calusa tribe look like?

The Calusa men were tall and well built with long hair. Calusa means “fierce people,” and they were described as a fierce, war-like people. Many smaller tribes were constantly watching for these marauding warriors. The first Spanish explorers found that these Indians were not very friendly.

What was the Calusa tribe culture?

They believed in an afterlife, and made daily offerings to their ancestors. Elaborate rituals included processions of masked priests and synchronized singing by hundreds of young women. The Calusa were among the last native Florida Indian societies to succumb to the consequences of the European invasion.

What kind of houses did the Calusa live in?

And, rather than the traditional tent-like shelters many Native American tribes adopted, the Calusa chose to live in stilted huts with no walls and a roof made of Palmetto leaves on the coast along the inner waterways.

What do Breechcloths look like?

A breechcloth is a long rectangular piece of tanned deerskin, cloth, or animal fur. It is worn between the legs and tucked over a belt, so that the flaps fall down in front and behind. In some tribes, the breechcloth loops outside of the belt and then is tucked into the inside, for a more fitted look.

What is the Calusa tribe known for?

Known as the “Shell Indians”, the Calusa are considered to be the first shell collectors. Unlike other tribes, the Calusa did not make any items from pottery. Shells were used to make items like jewelry, utensils, and tools. The Calusa travelled by dugout canoes, which were made from hollowed-out cypress logs.

What did the Calusa tribe believe in?

Calusa beliefs included a trinity of governing spirits. Rituals were believed to link the Calusa to their spirit world (Art by Merald Clark.) Artist’s conception of town chief at the Calusa town of Tampa (present day Pineland) (Art by Merald Clark.)

Which Florida tribe built mounds?

The Tocobaga Indians built mounds within their villages. A mound is a large pile of earth, shells, or stones. The chief’s home and the tribe’s temple were each built on a mound. The Tocobaga also built burial mounds outside the main village area as a place for burying the dead.

What is the Calusa language?

Calusa is an extinct Amerindian language of Florida. No records of the language remain other than a few place names in Florida, so it is unknown which language family Calusa might have belonged to.

Why did the Calusa build mounds?

The Calusa used the mounds for protection from weather and high tides during storms, as well as for worship, rituals and burying their deceased. Lodgings were built atop the mounds to prevent flooding.

What was the Calusa tribe religion?

Little is known about Calusa religion. They believed in three superior beings, one controlled the weather, the others ruled the welfare of the tribe and warfare. Each human had three souls, present in his shadow, his reflection in water and in the pupil of his eye.

What is the Calusa tribe like now?

There are probably people of Calusa descent still alive today. Some Calusas were sent to Cuba as slaves by the Spanish in the 1500’s, and others traveled there voluntarily during the epidemics and turmoil of the late 1600’s and early 1700’s. Their descendents may still be living in Cuba today.

Did the Calusa tribe have any special celebrations?

Calusa ceremonies included processions of priests and singing women. The priests wore carved masks, which were at other times hung on the walls inside a temple.

How old are the Calusa Indians?

Mound Key Archaeological State Park is a shell midden mound in the Estero Bay that is estimated to have been inhabited over 2,000 years ago. The first people to live on the island were the Calusa Native Americans, who were known as a fierce people.

Where in Florida was the Calusa tribe originally located?

Calusa, North American Indian tribe that inhabited the southwest coast of Florida from Tampa Bay to Cape Sable and Cape Florida, together with all the outlying keys. According to some authorities their territory also extended inland as far as Lake Okeechobee.

Who discovered the Calusa tribe?

Descriptions of the principal town of “Calos,” probably located on Mound Island in Estero Bay (roughly 50 kms north of Key Marco), were first recorded by Spanish missionaries in 1586. According to these accounts, the Calusa had a head chief named Carlos who lived in Calos and received tribute from surrounding villages.

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