The Calusa and Their Legacy: South Florida People and Their Environments

by Darcie A. Macmahon and William H. Marquardt

A journey into the history and cultural traditions of the Calusa people of south Florida

This history, rich with photographs and colorful
drawings of the remarkable Calusa people who controlled all of south
Florida when Europeans first arrived, presents a vivid picture of the
natural environment that sustained the Calusa--the teeming estuaries
along Florida's coasts, which have supported people for thousands of
years.

The Calusa were the last of Florida's Indigenous people to
succumb to colonization, but by the mid-1700s they had disappeared
entirely. This book describes the artifacts they left behind and the
plants and animals that inhabited the landscape and the underwater world
of their ecosystem. It also discusses their traditions that survive to
the present day among modern fisherfolk and the vibrant culture of
Native Americans in south Florida--the Seminole and Miccosukee peoples.

Looking
at both culture and environment, the authors of this book argue that
culture affects every aspect of people's existence and that to
understand a culture, one must first appreciate the environment in which
it develops. By learning about both, today's readers will be better
equipped to make the right decisions for wise stewardship of the earth.

The Calusa and Their Legacy
will inspire readers to value south Florida's multicultural history and
ecology. It is written for a broad audience of all ages and all
educational levels. It will be enjoyed by environmentalists,
eco/heritage tourists, and everyone interested in understanding a sense
of place in the natural world. The book's dramatic and authentic
illustrations of Calusa life were created by artists working at the
Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, where a major
permanent exhibition has interpreted this story since 2002.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 081302773X
• ISBN13: 9780813027739
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: University Press of Florida
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.3" x 10.3"

Customer Reviews

South Florida's First People

Are you a Floridian or thinking about moving to Florida, particularly in the southern portion of the state? Then you must read "The Calusa and Their Legacy: South Florida People And Their Environments..." -- the definitive book on the Calusa. Darcie A. Macmahon and Dr. William H. Marquardt, an expert on the Calusa, have written a fascinating book that brings to life a group of people who disappeared from Florida in the 1700s. For hundreds of years, the Calusa built a society that had its own government, a religion, and adaptation to the environment that is quite impressive. On the one hand, the Calusa were warriors, practiced human sacrifices, and held spiritual beliefs which included communing with the dead. On the other hand, they governed a growing population, accomplished engineering feats of dredging canals through entire islands, were expert fisherman, and utilized shells and bones that would become tools, weapons and ornaments. They lived entirely off the land and waters, eating small game and fish of many varieties. They had no agriculture; none was needed, as they learned to live off what nature provided. These self-sufficient people did well until the Spanish arrived in the 1500s. History books report that when Juan Ponce de Leon visited Southwest Florida in the early part of the 1500s, on his second expedition Calusa arrows wounded him. He fled to Cuba, where he later died from those wounds. As the Spanish began to visit Florida with more frequency, the Calusa were beginning to be eased from their homeland. By the mid-1700s, they were no more. Read this fascinating book to learn where the Calusa may have gone to, and why there are no Calusa in the state today.

Long Awaited Book Now Available!! Hooray!!!

This is an excellent book. It's about a vanished people, the Calusa Indians of Southwest Florida. And it is written by two people who best know the Calusa story. From the Florida Natural History Museum, Darcie MacMahon (exhibits director) and William Marquardt (curator and archaeologist) have produced a book for general readership that is truly readable. Its few technical terms are well explained. Scientific names are there if you want them, but above all, THE CALUSA AND THEIR LEGACY tells, in clear language, the fascinating story of a fierce and powerful people who disappeard 200 years ago. The book paints a broad picture. It starts with the bountiful estuary environment where these people lived, tells of the food they harvested, their religious beliefs, their weapons and their battles with the Spanish. Then, when the Calusa were no more, this remarkable book goes on to answer the question: "What happened next?" Finally, the book gives us a look at what is happening to this land of plenty - a land that supported people for 6,000 years - today. Excellent photos and illustrations bring the story to life. In addition to adult readers, the book is quite suitable for students grades nine and up. What a great way to learn!