Who Are the Muscogee (Creek)?
The Muscogee (Creek) are a Muskogean-speaking people originally inhabiting Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, today numbering approximately 90,000 enrolled members in the **Muscogee (Creek) Nation** of Oklahoma—the fourth-largest tribe in the United States. The name "Creek" came from English colonists who encountered them living along creeks and rivers; they call themselves **Muscogee** (Mvskoke). A confederacy of diverse towns rather than a unified tribe, the Creek were known for their sophisticated town-based democracy, the sacred **Green Corn Ceremony** (Busk), and fierce resistance to American expansion in the Creek War (1813-14). The 2020 Supreme Court decision **McGirt v. Oklahoma** affirmed that the Muscogee reservation was never disestablished, reshaping Oklahoma's legal landscape.
The Creek Confederacy
The Creek were not a single tribe but a **confederacy of autonomous towns** (talwa), each with its own government, ceremonial ground, and sacred fire. Towns were classified as "red" (war) or "white" (peace), with different ceremonial responsibilities. The confederacy incorporated diverse peoples including remnants of Mississippian chiefdoms, absorbed smaller tribes, and even European-descended traders who married into the nation. This flexible structure allowed expansion and adaptation. Town councils made decisions by consensus; there was no supreme chief—rather, respected leaders influenced through persuasion. The **mico** (chief) of each town led civil affairs while the **tastanagi** (war chief) led military matters. Women controlled agriculture, owned homes, and had significant political voice through clan mothers. This decentralized democracy frustrated Europeans expecting single leaders to negotiate for all Creek.
The Green Corn Ceremony (Busk)
The **Green Corn Ceremony** (Busk, from the Creek word "poskita" meaning "to fast") is the most sacred Muscogee ceremony, a new year celebration held when corn ripens, typically in July or August. Lasting four to eight days, the Busk involves: extinguishing all fires in the town; cleaning homes and public spaces; fasting and drinking emetic "black drink" for purification; forgiving all wrongs except murder; rekindling the **sacred fire** by the medicine maker; and communal feasting on the new corn. The ceremony represents renewal—debts forgiven, relationships restored, and the world made fresh. Only after the Busk could the new corn harvest be eaten. This ceremony continues today at Muscogee ceremonial grounds in Oklahoma, maintaining spiritual traditions despite centuries of disruption. The sacred fire, kept burning continuously for centuries, symbolizes Muscogee cultural continuity.
The Creek War and Removal
The **Creek War** (1813-1814) erupted when traditionalist "Red Stick" Creeks, influenced by Tecumseh's pan-Indian resistance movement, fought against American expansion and accommodationist Creek leaders. The war culminated at the **Battle of Horseshoe Bend** (1814), where Andrew Jackson's forces (including Cherokee and Lower Creek allies) killed 800 Red Stick warriors. The subsequent Treaty of Fort Jackson stripped the Creek of 23 million acres—half their territory—punishing even allied Creeks. Jackson, whom the Creek had helped win the Battle of New Orleans, later as president signed the Indian Removal Act. Between 1834-1837, approximately 23,000 Creek were forcibly marched to Indian Territory (Oklahoma); 3,500+ died during removal. The trauma of removal, following devastating civil war, shaped Muscogee identity as survivors rebuilt their nation in an unfamiliar land.
Contemporary Muscogee Nation
The **Muscogee (Creek) Nation**, headquartered in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, operates as a sovereign nation with executive, legislative (National Council), and judicial branches. The 2020 Supreme Court decision in **McGirt v. Oklahoma** ruled that the Muscogee reservation—covering much of eastern Oklahoma including Tulsa—was never legally disestablished, meaning federal and tribal law applies to crimes involving Native Americans there. This landmark decision, affecting millions of acres and potentially other tribes, represented the most significant expansion of tribal sovereignty in decades. The Nation operates diverse enterprises including gaming, provides comprehensive services to members, and maintains cultural programs including language classes (approximately 5,000 speakers remain) and ceremonial grounds where traditional Busk ceremonies continue. The annual Muscogee Nation Festival celebrates heritage while the tribe navigates the opportunities and challenges created by the McGirt decision's recognition of their persistent sovereignty.
References
- Ethridge, R. (2003). Creek Country: The Creek Indians and Their World. University of North Carolina Press.
- Green, M. D. (1982). The Politics of Indian Removal: Creek Government and Society in Crisis. University of Nebraska Press.
- Martin, J. W. (1991). Sacred Revolt: The Muskogees' Struggle for a New World. Beacon Press.
- Saunt, C. (1999). A New Order of Things: Property, Power, and the Transformation of the Creek Indians. Cambridge University Press.