Poarch Band of Creek Indians

Poarch Band of Creek Indians
Total population
2,340 (2006)[1]
Regions with significant populations
United States United States (Alabama Alabama)
Languages
English, Muscogee
Religion
Protestant, traditional beliefs
Related ethnic groups
Other Muscogee Creek tribes[2]

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized tribe of Native Americans in Alabama. (The state has recognized eight other tribes.) Speaking the Muskogee language, they were formerly known as the Creek Nation East of the Mississippi. They are located mostly in Escambia County. Since the late twentieth century, they have operated three gaming casinos and a hotel.

History

The Poarch Band descends from Muscogee Creek Indians of the Lower Towns who sided with the United States against the rebelling Northern Creek "Redsticks" in the Creek War of 1813–1814. Many Creek remained in Alabama despite the Indian Removal Act of 1830. At the time, they had to give up being members of the Creek and became United States and state citizens, as a condition of remaining.

The people maintained their community ties and culture, living in Alabama as an identifiable, distinct community for the last two centuries.[3] They gained recognition as a tribe from the federal government in the 20th century, and re-established their own government under a written constitution. The Poarch Band represents only some of the descendants of those who were not removed.

Over the decades, many Indians in the Southeast have intermarried with African-American or European-American neighbors. Some of their descendants assimilated into those social and cultural groups.[4] Others identified as Creek, particularly if born to Creek women. The Creek kinship system was historically matrilineal, with children considered born to the mother's clan and taking their social status from her. Descent and property passed through the maternal line. As with the children of Anglo or French fathers, such mixed-race children of Creek women are fully part of the tribe.

Tribal membership requirements

To be eligible to enroll in the tribe, people must be descended from the American Indians listed on one of three rolls: the 1870 U.S. Census of Escambia County, Alabama; 1900 U.S. Census of Escambia County, Alabama; or 1900 U.S. Special Indian Census of Monroe County, Alabama. Besides being of Muscogee Creek heritage, they must have a minimum blood quantum of 1/4 American Indian blood (equivalent to one full-blooded Creek grandparent) and not be enrolled in any other tribe. Each federally recognized tribe has the right to make its own rules of citizenship.[5]

Current status

The Poarch Creek Indian Reservation is located in southern Alabama near the city of Atmore, Alabama.[3] Their current tribal chairwoman is Stephanie Bryan.[6]

Gaming and racing

The Poarch Band has several casinos and racetracks, operating under Wind Creek Hospitality, a tribe-owned company.[7] Three of its casinos are located on sovereign tribal land in Alabama: Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Montgomery, and Wind Creek Wetumpka.[8][9]

Beyond its reservation, the tribe owns majority stakes in Mobile Greyhound Park, Pensacola Greyhound Park, and Creek Entertainment Gretna.[10][11] In the Caribbean, the tribe owns two hotel casinos operating under the Renaissance Hotels brand in Aruba and Curacao, which it purchased in October 2017.[12]

In Gardnerville, Nevada, the tribe financed and manages the Wa She Shu Casino, owned by the Washoe Tribe. The casino opened in May 2016.[13] In D'Iberville, Mississippi, Wind Creek purchased land for a planned casino development in March 2016.[14] In Pennsylvania, the tribe agreed in March 2018 to purchase Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem for $1.3 billion.[15]

In 2012 the tribe announced plans to expand their gaming operations at Hickory Ground in Wetumpka. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma filed suit to prevent this, arguing that the expansion would require excavation and reinterment of remains from an historic Creek burial ground at the site.[16]

The tribe made a deal in 2016 to purchase the Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City, Louisiana, which would have been rebranded as a Wind Creek casino.[17] The sale was canceled, however, because of a dispute over licensing payments for the Margaritaville name.[18]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Culture." Archived 2010-07-27 at the Wayback Machine. Poarch Band of Creek Indians. (retrieved 16 July 2010)
  2. ↑ Littlefield and Parins (2011), Encyclopedia, p. 174
  3. 1 2 "Welcome", Poarch Band of Creek Indians Website, 2005, retrieved 23 Feb 2009
  4. ↑ Paredes, J. Anthony. "Federal Recognition and the Poarch Creek Indians" in Paredes, J. Anthony, ed. Indians of the Southeastern United States in the Late 20th Century (Tuscaloosa: The University of Alabama Press, 1992) pp. 120–121
  5. ↑ "Constitution of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians" Archived 2008-11-28 at the Wayback Machine., Native American Rights Fund. 1 June 1985 (retrieved 25 Nov 2010)
  6. ↑ http://pci-nsn.gov/westminster/tribal_council.html
  7. ↑ "History". Wind Creek Hospitality. Retrieved 2017-10-19.
  8. ↑ George Altman (June 7, 2012). "Alabama Indian casinos are on federal land, Interior Department says". AL.com. Retrieved 2017-10-19.
  9. ↑ "Properties". Wind Creek Hospitality. Retrieved 2017-10-19.
  10. ↑ Confirmed: Poarch Creek Indians To Purchase Greyhound Parks In Mobile And Pensacola
  11. ↑ "Creek Entertainment Gretna opens in Gadsden County" Florida Trend
  12. ↑ "Wind Creek Hospitality purchases Caribbean casino resorts" (Press release). Wind Creek Hospitality. October 18, 2017. Retrieved 2017-10-19 – via PR Newswire.
  13. ↑ "Opening of Wa She Shu Casino marks landmark tribal gaming partnership" (Press release). Wind Creek Hospitality. May 26, 2016. Retrieved 2017-10-19 – via PR Newswire.
  14. ↑ Mary Perez (March 29, 2016). "Poarch Creek Indians buy casino site in D'Iberville". The Sun Herald. Biloxi, MS. Retrieved 2017-10-19.
  15. ↑ Harris, Jon; Radzievich, Nicole (March 8, 2018). "Sands Bethlehem casino to be sold to Alabama Indian tribe for $1.3 billion". Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  16. ↑ Cameron Shriver, Milestones: "September 2013: Reflecting on Justice 200 Years after the Creek Civil War", Origins,Ohio State University, accessed 28 September 2013
  17. ↑ Brad Harper (June 27, 2016). "Alabama tribe strikes deal to buy Margaritaville casino". The Times. Shreveport, LA. Retrieved 2016-06-27.
  18. ↑ Vickie Welborn (April 24, 2017). "Margaritaville Casino ends merger with Alabama Indian tribe". KTBS-TV. Retrieved 2017-10-19.

References

  • Littlefield, Jr., Daniel F. and James W. Parins, ed. Encyclopedia of American Indian Removal, Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood, 2011. ISBN 978-0-313-36041-1.
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