Who Were the Mayaca?
April 18 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am EDT
Brian Polk, former manager of De Leon Springs State Park, recently published a local history book titled, Lost in History—The Mayaca—Native People of West Volusia County, Florida. The Mayaca lived exclusively in West Volusia County for over 2,000 years. Their culture extended along the St. Johns River from the south side of Lake George to the north side of Lake Monroe, leaving the remnants of their society in burial mounds and middens. Where did they come from? How did they live? Where were their villages? Who were their allies and enemies? What happened to them? Brian’s program will answer these questions, and it will explore many more topics.
Copies of Brian’s book will be available for sale. Following the program, the participants will have the opportunity to join a guided hike on the Mayaca trail.
From 2005 until his retirement in 2018, Brian lived and worked at the park, one of the Mayaca sites. Shortly after his arrival there he was determined to give the Mayaca the recognition they deserved and felt compelled to tell their story. This book is the culmination of his quest. It is endorsed by the Florida State Parks archaeologist, the manager of DeBary Hall Historic Site, and by Robert Sitler, a retired Stetson history professor, who stated that the book is a “groundbreaking text and is the only one of its kind since it includes virtually every reliable source.”