Where:

• The Tocobaga Tribes were located in the Northern end of Tampa Bay. These tribes were often referred as the Safety Harbor Culture.

• In 1528, a Spanish explorer named Panfilo de Narvaez, arrived in the Tampa Bay area. The Spanish exposed the tribe to new diseases and violence which was uncommon for the peaceful nature of the Tocobaga. This in turn, within 100 years, caused the extinction of these Native Americans.

 

Community/Homes/ Diet:

• The Tocobaga people built their homes around an open area which was used as a gathering place.

• Their homes were simple huts built with a single pole holding up the roofs. Some of the homes had separate rooms inside divided by walls made of palms, like the roofs.

• The Tocobaga communities were known for the mounds that were made with the discarded shells, animal bones, and broken pottery. These mounds were called middens and the chief's home or temples were built on these middens to show respect.

• The men were the hunters of the community. They hunted animals in the forests, or brought home the plentiful fish from the nearby ocean. They were known to catch and eat manatees.

• The women were gatherers of fruits, nuts, and shellfish. There were many oysters, crabs, and clams that were easily caught.

• Their clothing attire consisted of deerskins and woven Spanish moss.

 

General Info:

• The Tocobaga people were found to use tools such as the atlatl and the adz. The atlatl was a throwing stick used to hunt. While the adz was a tool made to help dig for clams and food.

• The Tocobaga people also made simple pottery, usually plates, bowls, and simple tools.

• Something that leaves many people of today confused is the fact that the Tocobaga people had corn. Now some researchers believe that they grew their own corn, while others believe that they had to have traded with others in order to have corn since corn is not typically grown in Florida.

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