Betty Osceola

Betty Osceola
Osceola at Lake Okeechobee (2019) by Lisette Morales
Born	Betty Osceola (1967-08-08) August 8, 1967 (age 54) Ochopee, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Airboat Captain and Everglades Educator
Known for	Everglades education and conservation, clean water advocacy
Website	buffalotigersairboattours.com

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Betty Osceola (born August 8, 1967) is a Native American Everglades educator, conservationist,^[1] anti-fracking^[2] and clean water advocate.^[3] She is a member of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida from the Panther Clan.^[4] Osceola was born and raised in the Everglades. She is an airboat captain^[5] and the operator of Buffalo Tiger Airboat Tours on Tamiami Trail near Miami, Florida.

Early life[]

In January 2019, Osceola revealed details about her childhood in an interview for the American Experience^[6]The Swamp series produced by PBS, stating that while she was growing up in the Everglades she lived in a chickee hut with four walls with her family and that her mother would move around Florida for employment sometimes working picking citrus around Lake Okeechobee and at tourist attractions making baskets and sewing quilts. She also shared that her people had once lived off the land planting corn and pumpkin in the islands but these days the waters are so polluted that they are not able to do that anymore.

Walk for Mother Earth[]

2015-2017: Prayer Walk on U.S. Highway 41 (Ochopee to Naples, Ochopee to Miami)[]

Osceola along with her uncle Bobby C. Billie (1946-2018)^[7] founded the Walk for Mother Earth, a grassroots organization attracting people of other First Nations, Glades people, scientists, environmentalists, and concerned citizens. Billie, a spiritual and clan leader (whose official title was Council of the Original Miccosukee Simanolee Nation Aboriginal Peoples) and Osceola lead an annual multi-day prayer walk along a proposed bikepath ^[8] to be built on Florida State Route 41 between Naples and Miami which was designated as the River of Grass Greenway (ROGG) project. Osceola and Billie opposed this construction and set out to educate the public and government officials about the negative repercussions this project would bring to the Everglades ecosystem. Eventually, they spoke at public hearings at the Collier County Board of Commissioners' meeting followed by the Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners which concluded in both counties rescinding the project. After Billie's passing, Osceola continues the prayer walks in South Florida.

2016: Standing Rock - Dakota Access Pipeline[]

Osceola made two trips ^[9] from the Everglades to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation to deliver supplies to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.

2019: Prayer Walk around Lake Okeechobee January 26-February 3[]

Osceola with Holley Rauen, from Pachamama Alliance, organized and lead a group of six participants during a seven-day long and 118-mile prayer walk^[10] to bring attention to the water quality issues. During the entire walk she carried a red bandanna attached to her walking stick to bring attention to the missing and murdered Indigenous women. Rauen lead the online prayer group.

2019: Prayer Walk on Historic Loop Road December 7–8[]

Osceola and Reverend Houston R. Cypress from the Otter Clan,^[11] organized and lead a group of over 60 participants during a two-day long and 31-mile prayer walk in the historic Loop Road in Ochopee, Florida.

2021: Prayer Walk on U.S. Highway 41 January 2-3[]

Osceola and Reverend Houston R. Cypress^[10] organized and lead a group of 41 participants during a two-day long and 36-mile prayer walk on State Road 41, from East to West, in Big Cypress National Preserve in opposition to the EPA State Assumption of Dredge and Fill Permitting under Section 404 of the Clean Water. The group started on East entrance of Loop Road and ended on the second day in Carnestown, Florida.

2021: Prayer Walk around Lake Okeechobee February 6–12[]

Osceola and Reverend Houston R. Cypress organized a second walk around the perimeter of Lake Okeechobee,^[12] with a group of 26 participants for a seven-day long and 118-mile prayer. In addition to praying for the healing of Mother Earth the walk was in opposition to the EPA State Assumption of Dredge and Fill Permitting under Section 404 of the Clean Water.

2021: Big Cypress Hike and Signs Across the Alley Action[]

Osceola organized and lead a group of concerns citizens for a one day hike^[13] into Big Cypress National Preserve to educate the public and to protest a proposed oil drilling plan. After the hike protesters lined up on the side of Interstate 75.

Awards[]

In January 2018, Osceola received the John V. Kabler Grassroots Organizing Award^[14] during the Everglades Coalition annual summit.

References[]

External links[]

• Buffalo Tiger Airboat Tours Official website