Creek

Introduction -(SLL-JacobR)
Their name The Creek Indians got their name by white settlers after Ocmulgee Creek in Georgia. They used to call themselves Isti or Istichata, but then realized themselves as Muskogee soon after the Europeans arrived. The place they live The Creeks are originally people of the American southeast, particularly in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and North Carolina. Most Creeks were forced up into Oklahoma in the 1800’s like the other southern American Indian tribes. There are about 20,000 Creek Indians in Oklahoma today! The other Creeks are still in southern Florida today just like the Seminole tribes. The Creek Nation There are two Creek tribes today. I will mention one. The Poarch Creek tribe lives on a reservation in Alabama, which is property to the tribe and is under control. The Creek nation has its own government, laws, police, and other services. The Creeks are also American citizens and must obey the Law. Back then, each Creek village had a chief called a miko who was elected by the Creek council. All these chiefs were boys. Today, the Creek council members and principal chiefs are elected, just senators, governors, and presidents. Now, they can be either boy, or girl.

Habitat/Homes - (SLL-LindseyP)
The Creek indians climate tends to be super hot in July and August. The evenings get pretty cool even in the summer time. The precipitation in Georgia during the summer time in May is usally more than other months. June is the second place in precipation than the other months. The creek indians eat no sweets but they eat Chicken with Indian Corn, Corn Gravy, and Sweet Potato Bread. They live in thatched huts and later built log homes with chimneys. Their whole family lived there.

Dress - (OSL-Grace)[[image:http://www.native-languages.org/leggings2.jpg width="145" height="151" align="right" caption="This is a pair of creek indian legings."]]
Leggings __**Men, women, and children in the Creek tribe wore leggings. The Creek indians wore leggings to protect their legs because breech clothes leave their legs unprotected. Leggings are like pants. One difference is that there are two seperate leggings, one for each leg. The leggings are made of leather. The leggings are tied on to a belt that holds the breech cloth up. Legging styles were different in every tribe. Sometimes they were fringed, painted with colorful patterns, beadwork, or quillwork designs. Men indians tied garters which are bandana like cloths at the knee of the legging to keep them in place.
 * __

** Breech Cloth ** A long rectangular piece of tanned deerskin is called a breech cloth. Other than a breech cloth it is sometimes called breech cout, loin cloth, skin clout or just a flap. Just like the leggings the style was different in every tribe. Sometimes it had a breech cloth loop outside of the belt to make a more fitted look. The breech cloth can be much shorter sometimes and an apron panel that is decorated is attached in front, behind, or both. A Creek indian teenage girl or woman might wear a fitted breech cloth under her skirt, but it is not to be seen. Anyway in many tribes small girls did wear a breech cloth like the boys until they were old enough to wear skirts or dresses.

**Apron Panels** Apron panels are a decorated piece of cloth or leather that men would wear on holidays or other important occasions. They were also mostly used for short or fitted breech cloths. They are usually handmade, painted, embroided, decorated with beadwork, or quillwork to make it for special occasians.

The farmers of the Creek Indian tribe are primarily farmers. They grew corn, squash, peanuts, sweet potatoes, and melons. Each tribe family grew its own food. All the family members of the whole tribe helped work on the gardens. To get seeds they gathered flower seeds berries and nuts. To kill birds and other small animals they used blowguns. The men found and killed chickens, turkeys, ducks, turtles, fish, shellfish, and deer. The Indians ate many fruits including bananas, oranges, pineapples, and coconuts. All parts of the palmetto palm tree were used for food. The top was eaten. Molasses was made from berries. The leaves were ground into flour. Even salt was gathered from the burned trunk of the tree.
 * Planting and Growing Food**

Customs - (SLL-LindseyP)
The creek indians have many customs.

The Creek Indians made long, dugout canoes from hollowed-out cypress tree logs. The Cyprees Tree is a flame-colored, cone-shaped pine tree. The short stem below its branches is a lot like the Lombardy Popular. Back then in its native country, the whole tree used to strecth fifty or sixty feet high.The Creeks used dogs as pack animals instead of horses. There weren’t any horses until the colonist came over from Europe. Today, Creek people use cars and trucks for the present-day use of transportation. Non-native people still would use canoes as their transportation. Creek Indians were known for their baskets, woodcarvings, and pottery. When they were forced up into Oklahoma, the Creeks couldn’t find the materials they needed for the particular crafts. Weapons Creek hunters usually used bows and guns for their weapons. Creek fisherman used nets spears and bone hooks. Creek men fought with the tomahawks and war clubs. Creek warriors use shields to protect themselves.
 * Transportation**
 * Tools\Crafts**



Miscellaneous Facts - (all group members)

 * The Creek indians lived in the southeast region of the united states.
 * They lived in lodges in georgia.