ABSTRACT
The Traditional Seminoles' story demonstrates how tribes, non-Indian conservation groups, and philanthropists can work together to protect the environment by finding common interests, overcoming their misperceptions of one another, and developing innovative solutions that meet both their needs. Traditional Seminole spokesman Danny Billie describes the Green Corn Dance's importance. Seminole Indian Culture, explained the ecological significance of wetlands preservation in south Florida and the manner in which the protection of lands for the Green Corn Dance contributed to the maintenance of a healthy ecosystem. Throughout the Green Corn Dance project, we heard conservationists, land owners, and state officials express concerns related to these common misperceptions about Indian and Alaska Native communities. Billie's comments emphasize how outsiders can develop positive relationships with Indian and Alaska Native nations, even isolated, traditional nations like the Traditional Seminoles, by listening to and respecting them.
