GRADY COUNTY, GA
NATIVE AMERICANS
The Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe
Tama Creek Tribal Town
107 Lone Pine Drive
Whigham, GA 31797
(229) 762-3165
Principal Chief Vonnie Mc Cormick
All of us should be grateful for the hard work done by the folks at Tama in preserving Georgia's native heritage...it is a heritage that we all can be proud of. The truth is that a huge percentage of citizens in Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi have some Creek, Cherokee or Choctaw blood in them. Many Native Americans in the south intermarried with caucasians and african americans. Many of these mixed heritage folks did not go west, but were protected by their white relatives. Southern cuisine derived directly from Creek-Choctaw foods. Brunswick stew, barbeque, hush puppies, corn fritters, grits, hominy, beans, venison, frog legs, succatash, squash, pumpkins...even catfish deep-fat fried in corn meal were mainstays of the Creek diet.
ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY
Chief McGhee appointed Wesley Thombley chief of the Pensacola area, and Neal McCormick of Cairo, GA as Chief of the Creeks in Georgia. To encourage mutual support and cooperation, the three Chiefs and their councils selected an Annual Fourth of July Pow Wow in Cairo, GA and Labor Day Pow Wow in Pensacola, retaining the Thanksgiving Pow Wow in Atmore as a climax of the Pow Wow cycle.
Many trips were made to Oklahoma to talk with Chief Cox, and tribal towns in the 70's were still a part of the nation, and were awaiting tribal town status for Georgia, Florida, and Alabama Creeks. However, the Alabama Creeks did not wish for this to occur. They pulled away from the Tri-State Council and went on their own.
A Resolution was given recognizing the Lower Creek Tribe on March 16, 1973. It reads:
.....NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that this body hereby recognizes the Muskogee-Creek Indian Tribe East of the Mississippi River in the State of Georgia as a tribe of people...
The Georgia Commission of Indian Affairs was formed by Executive Order on May 9, 1977. The Order provided for the appointment of the members of the Commission, and recognized the Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe-East of the Mississippi, Inc. as a legal entity.
Proclamations were made by recent Georgia Governors recognizing the Creeks as a tribe. Governor Jimmy Carter(March 15, 1973)... "I do hereby officially recognize the Muskogee-Creek Indian Tribe East of the Mississippi River in the state of Georgia as a tribe of people..." Governor George Busbee (November 12, 1976)"..I do hereby recognize the Muskogee-Creek Indian Tribe East of the Mississippi River, in the State of Georgia, as a tribe of people, and I proclaim "Tama Reservation" as an Indian reservation so long as it is held and used for that purpose.." Governor Joe Frank Harris )Oct. 17, l988) "...The same Indian Tribe is still in existence today, over 150 years after the 1833 Treaty between our two nations, having survived the Indian Removal;and whereas the Lower Creek Muskogee Tribe retains a Democratic form of Government at its Tribal Headquarters, at TAMA, near Whigham, GA...The Lower Creek Muscogee Tribe of Georgia has been recognized as a ligal entity in the state through Executive Orders and acts of the general assembly....I hereby commend the Lower Creeek Muskogee Tribe of Georgia, its Tribal Leaders and Tibal council for their outstanding efforts toward preserving Creek Indian Culture.."; and the most recent Proclamtion by current Governor, The Honorable Zell Miller: WHEREAS; The Lower Creek Muscogee Tribe has been recognized as leagal entity in the state through Executive Order and acts of the Genereal Assembley; now WHEREAS: I, Zell Miller, Governor of the State of Georgia, do hereby recognize the "Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe" in this state in honor of the many contributions Georgia Indians have made...
House Bill 457, which was signed into law April 16, 1992, is a bill which regulates and monitors excavation and archeological research done on burial grounds. In this bill the Creek Indians are identified as indigenous to this state. (HB 457, Article 7, part 1, section 1, p.11) Section 44-12-300 of Georgia law, effective April 28, 1993, states that the State of Georgia officially recognizes as a legitimate American Indian tribe the Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe of Whigham, Georgia.
Today, the Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe operates with a constitution and tribal government. The current elected Principal Chief is Marian S. (Vonnie) McCormick, daughter-in-law to Neal McCormick. Chief McCormick serves on the Minority Advisory Committee for the Georgia Department of Labor. She also has ongoing dealings with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Office of the Governor.
**Preceeding information contributed by Winnette Stinson
State of Georgia's
Council on American Indian Concerns
205 Butler Street
Suite 1352 East
Atlanta, Ga 30334
404/656-6527
Links of interest:
Among the CreeksNative American Nations
Creek Treaties Related to Georgia
American Indians in Georgia
Creek Indians in Georgia
Article about Principal Chief Marian McCormick & Tama
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