December 19 - Seminole Tribe of Florida

3B • The Seminole Tribune • December 19, 2012Kids carve out a place for themselves in Tribal traditionChildren and instructors engage in soap carving on Nov. 27.Beverly BidneyAn Immokalee Culture instructor helps Kassiah Robbins, 6, carve a turtle.Beverly BidneyBeverly BidneyKassiah Robbins proudly displays his firstcompleted turtle.BY BEVERLY BIDNEYStaff ReporterBIG CYPRESS — The art of carvingis being passed along to the next generationthanks to the efforts of the CommunityCulture Department. Vinson Osceola led asoap carving workshop at the Willie FrankLibrary in Big Cypress on Nov. 27.The fresh smell of soap permeated theair under the chickees behind the libraryas Tribal youth learned to carve using therelatively soft medium and dull knives.Only after they hone their skills and learn tocarve confidently will the children graduateto wood carving.The technique for both is the same, butwood is significantly more difficult to carve.With a lot of patience, Osceola andother members of the Community CultureDepartment taught the kids how to hold theknife and carve away the soap slowly andcarefully. The kids chose whether to carve aturtle, canoe, dipper or dolphin. Most of thekids, whose ages ranged from about 6-11years old, chose turtles.“We only have an hour, but an hour is agood start for this age group,” said Osceola,of the Big Cypress Community CultureDepartment. “The turtle, canoe and dipperhave historical significance since they areitems we’re exposed to and have alwayslived with.”Osceola said more Tribal membershave picked up the art form Tribalwide.“The younger ones start with soap, andnow we have older ones who are starting tocarve wood,” he said. “They are advancingto more detailed projects; they want tochallenge themselves. The skill is beinghanded down slowly.”Many of the kids under the chickeecarved for the first time; others hadexperience.“This is my second time carving,” saidDylan Robbins, 7. He said he looks forwardto carving again, but next time, he wants touse a more challenging medium. “Soap iseasy; I want to try wood.”As with anything in life, confidencecomes with experience.“I’ve carved before,” said ReginaldLing, 11. “But I’m doing much bettertoday.”Beverly BidneyVinson Osceola guides Dylan Robbins’ knife sohe can feel how it should fit in his hand.Reginald Ling, 11, watches as Victor Billie shows him how to carve detail in the turtle.Beverly BidneyCharter School recognizes November Students of the MonthPhoto courtesy of Michele ThomasElementary school Students of the Month are Serenity Lara, Serenity Micco, Ferron Sampson, Josiah Johns, Jahdee Arnold, Tiera Garner, Jace Brown,Giselle Micco, Gabe Williams, Lake Goodwin, Dathen Garcia, Jahcole Arnold, John Beck, Haylie Huff, Alyssa Gonzalez, Kaleb Doctor, Alaina Sweat, DanteThomas and Jarrett Bert.Photo courtesy of Michele ThomasMiddle school Students of the Month are Alicia Fudge, Jalynn Jones, Kelton Smedley and OscarYates.