Santa Lucia Florida Genealogy

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.

Timucua Tribe

The Timucua Tribe, prominent among the tribes of Florida, was first documented by Spanish and French explorers around 1565, inhabiting regions near the St. John River and St. Augustine. Led by a chief known as Utina, the tribe comprised several subchiefs and towns. They experienced significant changes through Christianization by Spanish Franciscans by the late 16th century. The tribe diminished following the destruction of their missions around 1705, with remnants eventually settling at Pueblo de Atiniucas near Mosquito Lagoon, surviving into the early 19th century.