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New Way of Thinking About Early Creek People

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"Life Ways of the Early Southeastern Muscogee Creek People" ©

Life Among the Common Folk at Italwa - 1295 AD

Etowah River Valley, Georgia

Virtual Reality Computer Image by Richard Thornton AIA

- The Creeks are descendants of the Mississippian mound-building people who thrived around Southeastern population centers. 

- Ancestors of the Creeks have lived in the region for around 10,000 years and traveled extensive trade routes throughout eastern North America and westward into Mesoamerica.

- Recent archaeological research proves that the ancient peoples of eastern North America independently developed farming practices in which they domesticated or cultivated native seeds and squash centuries before corn and beans were introduced from Mesoamerica.

(Please see article below)

- The Creeks were adept at managing their natural resources using fire and tree girdling to manage weeds, increase production of wild food plants and improve forage for animal management.

- Before the Europeans arrived with their many infectious diseases the ancestors of the Creeks had enjoyed centuries of relative health and vigor.

-Within a brief time following first contact with Europeans, as many as 90% of the Southeastern indigenous population died of small pox and other European diseases.  

- The Muscogee and other neighboring tribal groups speaking several languages were part of a loose confederacy. They once lived in small independent towns along waterways throughout most of what is now Georgia, Alabama and north Florida as well as surrounding territories. Collectively they were called "Creeks" by British traders.

- The Creeks were skilled farmers, hunters and fishermen and for the most part lived well off the abundance of the land. They were adept at making all the material things they needed from the natural resources around them. This included tools, weapons, clothing, shelter, clay pots, baskets and woven-fiber fabrics -- all functional and beautiful.

- The Creeks were deeply respectful of the natural environment. Through ceremony, song and dance they expressed this deep respect. 

- When the first English settlers came to the Southeast, the Indian people were friendly to them, offered them land and helped them learn the skills they needed to survive in this new environment.

- In return, many thousands of Southeastern Native people were captured and sold as slaves to work on

Caribbean Island plantations.

- When the first Europeans arrived in mighty sailing ships with powerful guns, they thought the indigenous people were primitive and backward because they did not have such advanced technology. We need to remember that the Native people lacked the one essential resource for the advancement of technology. In all of North America there were no large animals such as horses and oxen that could be domesticated and used as a reliable source of energy to start the progression of technological development.

- In other ways, the Indians were far more advanced than their European counterparts. Life was not easy, but the Creek people lived in complete harmony with their surrounding environment. They enjoyed an ordered community way of life and a personal freedom entirely unknown to but a few elite in Europe.

- Gradually the Creeks were squeezed off their land by European settlers and pushed to the west.  In 1836, by order of President Andrew Jackson, the infamous Indian Removal began.  All Creek people were forced from their homes, held in prison camps and marched westward to Indian territory. Thousands of old people and children died along the way. A good and ancient way of life was forever destroyed.

- Being masters of the forests, rivers and swamps many Creeks were able to avoid removal by hiding and outright public denial of their Creek heritage. Eventually they intermarried with other races and blended into the dominant culture. Some were able to maintain a semblance of 'community' with other Creeks, but many were left in isolation, quietly clinging to the remnants of their culture.

- Today there are thousands of Creek descendants still living in the Southeast and indeed across the country. Most have been denied all knowledge of their heritage and  are actively seeking to learn and honor their Creek ancestors.

- Shining through the images of a long-passed way of life, we can clearly see the underlying intelligence, spiritual richness, wisdom and basic human values which can teach many lessons about living well in today's world. This is what the early European and American settlers failed to see. Let us not miss it now.