Our Ancient Relatives In Florida
The ancient inhabitants of South Florida included a nation known as the Tekesta Indigenous people.
This group is historically reported to have put up an extremely heroic resistance against the nefarious invasion of the conquest-era Spanish, significantly delaying the eventual colonization of Bimini (Florida).
But there was no defense valiant enough that could protect the fastdiously clean and sanitary Tekesta people against the virulent diseases that the unwashed Spanish colonists unwittingly brought with them. Within a relatively short time, in a manner similar to the conquest of their tribal relatives in the Caribbean, and later in Mexico, the microbes that the filthy invaders brought with them accomlished the task that they themselves could not. The Tekesta people were devastated by disease and the Spanish were finally able to colonize South Florida.
The ancient Tekesta are reported by some scholars to be a break-off branch of the Taino Indigenous nation who set out of the northern coast of Cuba and colonized the southern portion of the Florida Penninsula over 2000 years ago. In a sense they were the very first of the Cuban immigrants to south Florida.
The main villages of the Tekesta were focused around the geographic region now associated with the city of Miami and its surroundings. They also settled areas south of Miami and on the Florida keys. The archeological remains of one area in particular originally situated almost in the dead center of downtown Miami has attracted a great deal of attention since its accidental discovery in 1998. Located along the southern bank of the Maimi River, where the river meets Biscayne Bay this area now known as the Brickel Site contains a remarkable structure known as the Miami Circle. The Miami Circle was discovered along the southern banks of the Maimi River in 1998 as surveyors prepared the site for development. This particular structure features a circle of twenty four quasi-rectangular holes or pits dug into the hard bedrock that lies beneath the topsoil of the riverbank. The ancient Tekestas used stone tools to meticulously excavate these pits into the solid rock creating a surprisingly perfect geometric hoop on the ground.
researchers under the dirction of Archeologist Bob Carr excavated the Miami Circle site in the late 1990's and early 2000's.
They found many other pits and holes dug into the rock inside and outside the circle
Scholars believe that the holes around the circumference of the circle constituted the base of a round ceremonial structure, a kind of "temple" for meeting and ritual. This temple would have been built upon upright support posts sunk into the holes in the bedrock. The temple theory is borne out by the fact that the circle was consecrated by the burial of several important animal parts within its diameter, including a large sea turtle and the skull of a marine dolphin.
The turtle shell discovered at the Miami Circle site, like all the other material found there is now held at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.
Hundreds of other smaller offerings were found within the diameter of the circle, including the teeth of monk seals, which were items commonly used by island Tainos for ceremonial decoration. There is ample evidence that this site was a very sacred space.
The recent history of the Miami Circle is one filled with controversy and a valiant struggle to preserve the site.Organizations arose during the early 2000's to prevent the destruction of the sacred site. Many of those interested in the preservation of the site were local Indigenous peopl such as the Seminoles and Miccosukee joined the effort and together with archeologists and community organizers they succeeded in saving the site. Local civic authorities bought the Miami Circle and in 2009 it was designated a National Historical Landmark by the US government.
This year the site is almost ready to be opened to the public as a civic green space of the city of Miami.
We in the Caney Indigenous Spiritual Circle have followed with interest the process of this history and supported the efforts at preservation that have concluded with its being made accessible to the people.
During my Winter Solstice visit to Miami I was able to visit the site in the company of Caney Circle beike-in-training and friend Maritza Henriquez, a Kiskeya Taina who resides in the Miami area.
Our inspection of the site revealed how far Miami authorities have come in their effort at establishing accessibility of this sacred place in behalf of the local Tainos and all of the residents of the South Florida as well as visitors from far away.
We plan to perform ceremony here as has been taking place during the years of struggle to prsesrve it and as took place long ago when the Tekesta people were the inhabitants of the place.
May the cemies of our ancestors continue to bless and protect the Miami Circle sacred site as it begins a new era of ceremony and accessibility.
Taino Ti
Miguel
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Comment
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Comment by Miguel Sague Jr on February 5, 2014 at 10:23am
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Right now our contacts, especially Mike and Meryellen Loez are on top of this rapidly developing situation. We will stay in touch with them and we also look forward to seeing the participation of the two Florida United Confederation of Taino People reps Bibi Karaira and our dear sister Tai Pelli in this matter.
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Comment by Tenanche Semi-Ata Rose Golden on February 5, 2014 at 10:09am
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Bo Matun for keeping up with this so passionately and sharing the information with the community! Let's continue to pray for protection of the sacred sites of the Ancient Ones who came before us!
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Comment by Joanna 'Aya' Soto-Avilés on February 5, 2014 at 2:41am
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It amazing to see how much has happened since Winter Solstice and it makes us so happy to see everyone working so hard to protect sacred sites. Keep up the good work! :)
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New discoveries near Miami Circle representing Tekesta presence in South Florida are now raising the same issues that were raised when the Circlewas first discoverd in 1998
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The struggle to preserve the sanctity of Miami Circle continues as the newly opened green space is now under attack by nearby city dwellers who insist on using the sacred site as a dog toilet!
http://www.uctp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&...
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