This week, Andy Warrener returns to discuss the Seminole War-themed Saturday living history event -- Oct. 29 -- at the Florida Pioneer Museum and Village in Dade City, Pasco County, Florida. Besides presenters discussing and sharing anecdotes from all three Seminole Wars, an afternoon battle skirmish is set featuring pioneers, Florida Territorial Militia, Regular Army soldiers, and Seminole Indians. All will be available throughout the day prior to this battle to explain and show how they lived in the 1830s. In addition, five-time champion...
This week, Andy Warrener returns to discuss the Seminole War-themed Saturday living history event -- Oct. 29 -- at the Florida Pioneer Museum and Village in Dade City, Pasco County, Florida. Besides presenters discussing and sharing anecdotes from all three Seminole Wars, an afternoon battle skirmish is set featuring pioneers, Florida Territorial Militia, Regular Army soldiers, and Seminole Indians. All will be available throughout the day prior to this battle to explain and show how they lived in the 1830s. In addition, five-time champion alligator wrestler Pharoah Gayles makes his first appearance off a Seminole Reservation to display his skills and to teach about the environment that alligators and Seminole have occupied together. Artist Terry Smith presents on The Real Florida as portrayed with nature and Seminole in his paintings.
Host Patrick Swan is a board member with the Seminole Wars Foundation. This podcast is recorded at the homestead of the Seminole Wars Foundation in Bushnell, Fla.
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See full schedule below images.
Oct. 29, 2022: Living History - Seminole War, 10am.- 4 pm.
Schedule of Events: Florida’s Seminole Wars
- 10:00am – Event begins
- 11:00am – Opening remarks, introduction to Seminole history and alligator wrestling
- 11:10am - Alligator wrestling with Pharaoh Gayles
- 12:00pm – Indigenous Peoples presentation by Jim Sawgrass
- 1:00pm – Alligator wrestling with Pharaoh Gayles
- 1:30pm – (gazebo) Presentation on Seminole canoe building and culture by Daniel Tommie
- 1:45pm – (gazebo) Presentation on black Seminole history by Matt Griffin
- 2:00pm - Indigenous Peoples presentation by Jim Sawgrass
- 2:15pm - (gazebo) early 19th Century Florida and native history by James Bullock with special call-in guest Dale Cox to discuss a recent archeological discovery at the Prospect Bluff or Negro Fort site on the Apalachicola River
- 3:00pm – Battle/skirmish reenactment
- 4:00pm – Event ends
The Museum Concession Stand will be open with Burgers, Hotdogs and more. Also, other vendors
CASH ONLY
Alligator Wrestling 11 am and 1 pm (Video)
"Pharaoh (Gayles) of Pharaoh's Animal Kingdom"
https://www.pharaohgayles.com/pharaohs-wildlife-kingdom
Pharaoh Gayles is a professional wildlife handler, educator and conservationist, a performer, and an artist. Pharaoh is a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-licensed handler who loves to pass on his knowledge and expertise. Pharaoh is a five-time Freestyle Alligator Wrestling Competition champion. The only five-time champion in the history of the competition. Pharaoh has appeared on national television programs, including Animal Planet’s “Gator Boys,” and was a featured performer on FOX’s “Game of Talents.”
THE SHOW AND HISTORY: For as long as native Americans have been living in Florida, they have been utilizing alligators for their meat and other body parts. In the early 1900's when tourism started to explode in Florida there were more people witnessing native Americans jumping in the water and catching alligators. Spectators called this alligator wrestling. It is a barehanded capture technique developed by the Native American people as well as other handlers to bring an alligator back home alive. You always wanted to bring the alligator back alive because the meat would spoil very quickly in the Florida Sun. As time went on spectators would pay to see native Americans handle alligators and learn more about the culture. This became one of the 1st forms of revenue for the native people in Florida. The name alligator wrestling is a name that has always stuck, it draws people in from all over the country to observe. The alligators in the demonstrations you see are ALL RESCUED alligators that will be able to live out the rest of their lives in a sanctuary instead of being put down.
Battle Reenactment 3 pm Lawn Chairs welcome
Terry Smith, local artist, will be doing a demonstration in the Lockey Room, in the main Building, during the Saturday event.
Recent Awards
- 2021 Florida Wildflower Studio, Frostproof, FL – 2nd Place Acrylic
- 2020 Art in the Park, Brooksville, FL – First Place in Fine Arts
- 2019 Lutz Art Festival, Lutz, FL-Best of Show and First Place Painting
"My goal is to paint as much of “The Real Florida” as I can. Future generations need to see what has been and is being lost. There is a need to encourage others to speak up to protect our most valuable treasure. Many things in life can be replaced or rebuilt, but not our greatest possession. It is my hope that by recording the natural Florida now, people will realize the importance of saving Florida’s natural resources, to avoid being left with just memories." – Terry Smith
Fliers for upcoming events mentioned in the podcast
