|
Florida’s extensive coastlines, lakes, rivers and wetlands have
generated a particularly rich material culture. A wide range of equipment
is fabricated for both the economic and recreational use of these aquatic
resources. Though much of this equipment is machine-made and mass-produced,
there is also substantial demand for artisans who can create items that
are customized to meet the specific requirements of their users. There
are specially made oyster skiffs and tongs for working the waters along
the Florida panhandle, traps for baiting lobsters in the Florida Keys,
gigs for the nighttime spearing of frogs in the Everglades, lively artificial
flies for tricking fish in streams and bays, and metal helmets for diving
for sponges in the depths of the sea off Tarpon Springs. The individuals
who craft these and similar objects objects are highly respected in their
communities for their ability to adapt traditional designs to contemporary
environmental conditions.
The personal customizing of occupational equipment is also prevalent
in another of Florida’s prominent industries: cattle ranching in
the lowlands to the north and west of Lake Okeechobee. Cowmen need saddles,
spurs and cow whips that enable them to effectively work their herds in
this hot and wet region. Each ranch also has a variety of branding irons
for identifying its cattle, which have been specially bred for survival
in a subtropical climate. Florida cowmen take great pride in their unique
ranching tradition, which extends back to the Spanish colonial period.
|
