Guacata

Guacata, a village of the Calusa tribe, was situated near Lake Okeechobee in South Florida around 1570. Described by Fontaneda, it may also represent a tribal group with political ties to nearby areas like the Ais and Tekesta. Evidence suggests that Guacata was distinct yet subordinate, identifiable with the Belle Glade site where significant European grave goods have been found. The village likely served as a critical point of interaction between indigenous populations and Spanish explorers. However, by the late 1600s, its people seemed to have merged with other east coast tribes.