Susie Billie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Susie Billie
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 1900 |
| Died | 2003 |
| Other names | Susie Jim Billie |
| Known for | Medicinal herbs |
| Children | Agnes Cypress |
| Relatives | Buffalo Jim, Sonny Billie |
| Awards | 1985 Florida Folk Heritage Award |
Susie Jim Billie (1900-2003) was a very important Seminole woman. She was a traditional healer and a respected leader of the Panther family group in her area. She was born in Florida, USA, and lived on the Big Cypress Reservation. There, she used her traditional healing skills to help her community.
Susie learned most of her healing knowledge from her grandfather and uncle. They were also medicine men for their tribe. She knew about special plants and herbs that could help people feel better. She also knew songs, chants, and rituals that made the cures more powerful.
Her family had many healers. She taught her nephew, Sonny Billie, about traditional healing plants. Her brother, Buffalo Jim, was also a Mikasuki medicine man. Susie was well-known for her deep understanding of plants, songs, and healing ceremonies.
Honoring Susie Billie's Wisdom
Awards and Recognition
In 1984, Susie Billie was interviewed for a special video project. This project was part of the Florida Folklife Program and WFSU-TV. Her interview was included in a film called "Four Corners of the Earth Documentary."
In 1985, Susie Jim Billie received the Florida Folk Heritage Award. This award honored her as a Medicine Woman. It also recognized her deep knowledge of her tribe's history and traditions. She received this award in White Springs, Florida.
Susie also shared her knowledge by teaching others. She participated twice in the Florida Folklife Apprenticeship Program. Through this program, she passed on her skills to her daughter, Agnes Cypress, and to Mary Johns.
Her wisdom was also shared in books. She is often quoted in Harry Kersey Jr.'s book, The Florida Seminoles and the New Deal, 1933–1942.
