Development
Osceola and his horse Renegade were the brainchild of Tallahassee businessman and Florida State alumnus Bill Durham. Though he came up with the concept of a horseback-riding Seminole mascot as early as 1962, when he was voted into the school's homecoming court. He returned to the idea in 1977, and won the support of Ann Bowden, wife of head football coach Bobby Bowden, who helped make the dream a reality. Durham provided the costume as well as the horse, Renegade, while Bowden helped acquire the various permits necessary to allow a horse onto the field.
Durham chose the original costume to be as authentic as possible, and he and his family remain in charge of selecting and training both the horse and rider. Students receive a scholarship for portraying Osceola, and are required to remain in character at all times and abide by a set of protocols when doing so. There is only one Osceola impersonator at a time; as of 2003, ten students had portrayed Osceola. Since the 1980s Florida State University has forged a relationship with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, who have given the school their blessing to use the Seminole and Osceola imagery.
While the usage of Native American-derived names and mascots is opposed by many Native Americans and supporters, Florida State's use of Seminole imagery is officially sanctioned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, while for its part the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma does not oppose it. The traditional regalia worn by Osceola and Renegade is designed by women of the Seminole tribe each year.
Read more about this topic: Chief Osceola And Renegade
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