The Calusa Indians were a Native American tribe in Florida, known for their prowess in warfare and building houses on stilts. They relied on hunting and fishing for food, and used cypress canoes to travel. They collected shells and used them for tools and ornamental objects. They died out in the late 1700s and early 1800s due to European diseases, slavery, and attacks from other tribes.
The Calusa Indians were a Native American tribe that inhabited the southwest coast of Florida. Most historians believe they were direct descendants of Paleo Indians who lived in Florida up to 12,000 years ago. Their original name was “Calos”, meaning “fierce people”, and they were generally known for their prowess and tenacity in warfare and often described as tall and physically imposing. At their peak, there were as many as 50,000 Calusa, but they died out in the late 1700s and early 1800s due to a combination of European disease, slavery, and attacks from other Indian tribes.
The Calusa Indians generally built houses near water and were erected on stilts to protect them from flooding. Their houses had no walls and they built their roofs with woven palmetto leaves. The tribe did not rely on agriculture for food. They probably picked some wild fruits and vegetables, but didn’t actually grow anything. Their main source of food was the meat they obtained by hunting and fishing.
The Calusa Indians built 15-foot (4.5-meter) cypress canoes and used them to travel the ocean and to move up and down the Calooshahatchee River, which was their main waterway. This ability to travel on water was generally considered to be a major military advantage to them, helping the tribe dominate southern Florida for many years. According to reports, the Calusa Indians went as far as Cuba in their explorations and also took advantage of European shipwrecks, which allowed them to gather valuable supplies.
They collected shells near the sea and used them in many different ways. In most of their ancient villages, there are mounds of shells, which have been excavated for the purpose of study. Archaeologists have found several types of tools made from shells, along with pottery and ornamental objects.
According to accounts from the time, the Spanish explorers who first encountered the Calusa Indians found them to be quite hostile. The Calusa would send raiding parties to attack the Spanish camps. Over time, contact with European settlers caused problems for the Calusa, mainly from diseases such as smallpox and measles, which decimated their population. In the 1700s, Indian tribes from other southeastern states began encroaching on their territory and the tribe was unable to defend itself adequately. Some of the Calusa were captured by invading tribes and held as slaves, while some others left Florida and went to Cuba.
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