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| Native Seminole Warrior, Jimmy Sawgrass |
When most people think of Florida and the peoplethat live there images of that often appear tothem are retired seniors; blonde
tanned sporty beach bums playing and lazing on a sandy beach; tropical sunny
days; swamps, alligators; orange juice and Disney. While there are tenants of truth to most of
these, they all have helped to shape the modern Florida. The deeply rural
nature of Florida is usually glazed over or forgotten. It’s pretty common
knowledge that we are the place for oranges, we provide a majority of the
Nations produce east of the Mississippi River, second largest head of cattle in
the world, home to an equestrian state second only to Kentucky.
Unfortunately most also perceive Florida to be a
relatively new state and merely for recreation; even though its history is the
oldest colony. It has rapidly become one the most populated States, though most
of its history it has been one the least populated. With rather large geography and unique
climate, this gave the original Floridians a deeply enduring pioneering spirit causing them to reach deep within themselves, the community, and the land
itself. Although the ruggedness of the terrain, intense climate, and just the
isolation families had to bear was more than many families could endure and
would often return home to the lands that they came. So for those that stayed
and endured through the hardships maintained a special sense of pride and
connection to the land that so often used o be referred to as “Gods Land” and
would take the title of being a Florida Cracker.
The origins of the term Cracker are as deep, tangles
and mysterious as a hike into the Florida Scrub. The term in reference goes
back for centuries in European for someone who talks or boasts a lot. Even as
William Shakespeare said: "What cracker is this same that deafe our eares with this abundance of superfluous breath?” King John, Act II, Scene 1, 1594.
Until the era of the American Civil War the term
Cracker would a general reference to Southerner’s, or what we call rednecks,
later on only becoming a reference to the people of southern Georgia and
Florida. The common, modern, accepted definition is the pioneering Florida
cattle hunters that used the (supersonic) cracking of their whips to round up
the wild cattle in incredibly thick and thorny brush.
One of the most well rounded descriptions has to
come from local historical-fiction writer Patrick D. Smith, in What Is a
Florida Cracker?
... What really makes a person a true Florida Cracker
(besides being born in the state)? Several things: A love of the land and
nature, growing things in soil, close family ties, and a deep sense of
religion. It also means cracklin' bread and grits and periwinkle soup and swamp
cabbage and okra gumbo and ham hocks with collard greens and chicken fried in a
cast iron skillet and guava jelly and homemade blackberry cobbler.
A Cracker's word is his bond. If he looks you in the eye
and says, "Yes, I will do this for you," then he will - and that's
that. They have no pretense, never put on airs, never try to appear to be
something other than what they are, and they never "blow smoke" over
you. They either like you or they don't, and it's as simple as that ...
A typical Florida Cracker Bar-Q-Q.
Put on as part of a fundraiser for the Wounded Warriors program.
With
gator, frog legs, wild hog and a unique Florida specialty Swamp Cabbage (the
heart of the cabbage/sable palm).
