Story and photo contributed by Mary Garza
Tiki Bars are ubiquitous in the Florida Keys- but have you ever wondered where this custom originated?
In the early 1800s, the Florida Seminole and Miccosukee indian tribes were driven from their native lands by American settlers. The newly formed United States of America had just won the hard-fought war with Great Britain to declare themselves as an independent nation and wanted to expand the territory to include modern day Georgia and Florida. In an attempt to make this territory hospitable to new settlers, American troops waged a campaign to drive the native tribes south into the inhospitable Everglades.
The tribes survival depended largely on their ingenuity. They needed to construct shelters that could quickly be built and taken down, using the only resources available to them – Cypress logs and the palm fronds from sabal and palmetto palm trees. The Seminoles referred to these temporary structures as chickees. “Chickee” is the Seminole word for house. The origins of the Seminole indians
remains unknown, but some speculate that they may have Polynesian ancestors. This could explain how they obtained the knowledge to build these light-weight structures that consist of thick cypress posts driven into the substrate that support raised wooden platforms covered by thatched roofs. Similar structures are found throughout Polynesia, but are referred to as “Tiki’s.
The Seminole’s have lived in Chickees for nearly 200 years. Sometime in the 1930’s, as the keys began to be inhabited, someone commissioned the first “Chickee” or “Tiki” to be built as a venue for tourists seeking a cool respite from the sun and place to relax.
The popularity of Chickee or Tiki Huts soon became a dependable source of revenue for the Seminoles. Recognizing this as imperative to their livelihood, in the final treaty, signed in 1990, between the United States Government and the Seminoles, they were granted the right to build and place Tiki Huts wherever they could find business, regardless of zoning and permits. Seminoles still rely on this source of revenue, and you’ll find them throughout South Florida at many resorts, as well as comfortable residential paradises.
About Mary:
Mary is a Florida Keys – stay at home mom, mother to 2 rambunctious boys, and wife to a keys charter boat captain. Her passion is cooking, and she hopes to someday write her own cookbook featuring fresh seafood with a Mexican flair. Her family hails from Puerto Vallarta, and she grew up savoring her mom’s recipes from this coastal region. She loves Mexico, but finds the keys very similar to her native home. Stay tuned for more posts from Mary.
