Tampa Field Office Grand Opening

By Janice Billie

TAMPA — On the morning of May17 the Seminole community of Tampa held an official grand opening for the new Tampa Field Office.

Tampa Tribal Council Liaison Richard Henry and staff welcomed Tribal officials, citizens and employees to the newly remodeled suite of offices to celebrate a milestone in the development of this Seminole community.

The visiting dignitaries in attendance were Chairman Mitchell Cypress, President Moses Osceola, Hollywood Council Representative Max Osceola, Brighton Council Representative Andrew Bowers, Ft. Pierce Liaison Sally Tommie and reigning Seminole Princes Christine McCall.

In the 25 years the Tampa Seminole reservation has been in existence the field office has been temporarily accommodated in various locations, once it was a two room trailer. This is the one that has been optimistically anticipated.

The new offices are located at 6401 Harney Road, minutes from the Tampa Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

The building’s grounds are accented by oak trees, however the non-descript exterior holds no indication of the regally decorated offices within. Cherry wood framed historical photos of Seminoles and their way of life are prominently displayed in the halls and each office. The desks and trim are repeated in the same dark wood creating a stately ambiance.

The departments presently located in the suite of offices are: Broadcasting, Education, Family Services, Culture, Housing and Health. The Broadcasting department’s office includes a viewing room and the Culture department has a crafts room. There is also a spacious conference room in the center of the oval shaped layout.

Before the official ceremony began, guests arrived early to tour the rooms and visit with the residents and visitors. Old friends and relatives had the opportunity to catch up and share a good occasion.

At the appointed time the residents and guests gathered outside of the building to witness the grand opening. Once all the officials and senior Tampa residents were lined up the mike was turned over to Bobby Henry, medicine man and prominent resident of the Tampa community.

Dressed in traditional clothing highlighted by a plumed Seminole turban Henry eloquently expressed his thoughts and feelings on this day. Prefacing his speech by the statement, “I’m going to speak Indian because I am an Indian.”

Henry eloquently expressed not only the journey that culminated in the opening of the field office but the journey of the Seminole in general. He made a point in explaining in the Indian way buying or owning land was not a concept of Indian people, it has become a practice due to the necessities of a new way of life. His message emphasized the importance of preserving the culture of the Seminole, and knowing when change is necessary for the good of the tribe and moving forward in that knowledge.

Following Henry, Chairman Cypress, the council representatives and Liaison Richard Henry all took a few minutes to talk about events of the last 25 years and the changes the Tampa reservation community have seen. This new office is one change everyone agrees rings in a new era for the residents it will serve.

After the ceremony the gathering retreated to an area across the street where a picnic style lunch was set up and served by the community members.