controversies heightened the distinction for the Trail People, who became more defined and began to organize as the Miccosukee Seminole Tribe; they were mostly Mikasuki language speakers. They were recognized by the state of Florida in 1957, and gained federal recognition in 1962 as the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. The tribe today occupies several reservations in southern Florida, collectively known as the Miccosukee Indian Reservation. The largest land section is a reservation on the northern border of Everglades National Park, about west of Miami. The tribe controls about of wetlands, most under a perpetual lease made in 1983 with the state of the South Florida Water Management District's Water Conservation Area 3A South. It may use "this land for the purpose of hunting, fishing, frogging, and subsistence agriculture to carry on the traditional Miccosukee way of life." Another site is its Alligator Alley Reservation, located near Ft. Lauderdale. It includes of developable land, much of which they use for a cattle grazing lease, and nearly of wetlands. They provide use permits for non-Natives to use some of the wetlands for hunting camps. Among their lands is a site in Miami, where the tribe in 1999 developed the Miccosukee Resort & Conference Hotel, which includes gaming facilities. The revenue from this enterprise has supported economic development and improvements to education and welfare. They have generally modern housing on their reservation 40 miles west of Miami, and some of the tribe live in suburban Miami. Membership The Miccosukee requires members to have at least half-Miccosukee ancestry, and will accept individuals with Miccosukee mothers who are not enrolled in any other Tribe. The tribe has a matrilineal system of kinship and inheritance. Children are considered to be born into their mother's clan, from which they gain their status in the tribe. In this system, the mother's older brother is highly important to her children, more than the biological father, especially for boys. The uncle is the one who introduces the boys to the men's groups of the clan and tribe. Government The tribe has a written constitution and elects officers, including a chief. In 2015, Chief Colley Billie was removed from office for financial mismanagement. As of 2020, the current chief is Billy Cypress. All adult members are part of the General Council, which manages the tribal services. The first chief at the time of federal recognition was Buffalo Tiger, who