How accurate is the Seminole garb worn by Osceola?
With the debut of FSU’s Indian warrior Osceola in 1978, the Seminole Tribe of Florida provided the first outfit. It was a 19th-century long shirt, created in the style favored by the real Indian warrior Osceola, who fought U.S. forces during the Second Seminole War until his death in 1838. However, the long shirt wasn’t ready until the second game of the 1978 season. For the first game, Durham was forced to make do. In an Oct. 10, 1980, article in the Florida Flambeau, he described the design of the original outfit: “I made the first costume, which originally was an old bathrobe of Mrs. Chenoweth. (The Chenoweth family of Tallahassee took care of the horse, Renegade, at that time.) “But the one used now is an authentic Seminole costume.” By the second home game, the Seminole-made costume had arrived. The new costume consisted of a long, multi-colored cotton shirt with a neckerchief. The headdress was a long sash that hung over the rider’s shoulder. The rider carried a long spear, handm
