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Seminole Tribe of Florida to Honor Polly Parker

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This weekend the Seminole Tribe of Florida will be honoring a significant figure in the history of the Seminole tribe.

She escaped her captors on a journey from Egmont Key to Oklahoma via St. Marks in Florida's Panhandle.

The Florida Department of State and the Seminole Tribe of Florida are honoring Polly and her journey on the "Trail of Tears" with a 22 hour boat ride from Egmont Key to St. Marks in North Florida.

Dozens of Seminole tribe members, including many of her descendants, will be on the voyage.

Rachel Porter with the Florida Department of State says the tribe has a very personal connection with the "Trail of Tears"; the United States government's forced relocation of Native Americans into Indian Territories.

“They are reenacting the footsteps that could have taken their ancestor away,”Porter said. “It could have changed the face of their tribe forever, and they are honoring that occasion, where actually things turn around she walked all the way back from St. Marks to Okeechobee to begin her family which is much of the tribe today.

The events departure from Egmont Key will be open to the public at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday.

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