The Miccosukee are the original inhabitants of the Everglades and the neighbors we live beside in Miami, yet their voices are often unheard. Have you ever wondered what their native language is? Or why you've likely never heard it spoken?
Historically, speaking about Elaponke to non-tribal members was not common due to the dark history of the U.S. It still isn't. Yesterday, for the first time in history, members of the Miccosukee Tribe came to FIU to share the complexities of language transmission with an academic and civil audience. Supported by the FIU Ferré Institute, FIU Department of Modern Languages, FIU Global Indigenous Forum and Dean Shlomi Dinar, the event was a historic moment.
After a quick intro to language revitalization, we moved to the panels:
📆 Elaponke Now and Then: Chairman Talbert Cypress, Preschool Dir. Isabel Billie Frank, and Secretary William Osceola shared moving stories of shifting to English in their teens and how the involvement in local school and Miccosukee gov. contributed in restoring their linguistic knowledge.
📖 Education: Prof. José Morcillo moderated a discussion with Marie Ann Cypress Osceola-Branch, Chief Education Officer Lymarie Muniz, and Secretary William Osceola on creating a bilingual and bicultural curriculum rooted in the community's unique cosmovision and the vital role of both the Elders and young educators.
🏡At Home: Mothers and Educators Angie Jimmie and Raven Osceola and Micc. Embassy Fellow Kendal Osceola spoke bravely about the challenges of home transmission and the painful questions it raises about Miccosukee identity.
Once again, we saw that revitalizing a language is more than just speaking; it is opening an intergenerational wound to begin a collective healing. It is honoring the ancestors who kept it, the ones who lost it, and the new speakers to come.
Esker bereziak (special thanks) to Dr. José Manuel Morcillo for providing the platform, mentorship, and for his sensitivity, and to Chairman Talbert Cypress for your kindness and openness in the last months. I learned so much. Shonabesh! 🙏🏽
Thanks to everyone who joined us, and to Nicolás Montero for the love and support! 🫂💖
Originally posted on Instagram on March 26, 2026: view the original post.
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