The Creek Indians :: American America History

The Creek Indians Location and Background The early English traders gave the Creek native Americans their name because they usually built their villages on or near creeks or rivers. If they were to still have their villages it would include areas of Northern Florida and Eastern Louisiana and Southern Tennessee. The majority of the villages were located along the banks of the Coosa, Tallaposa, Flint, Ocmulgee, and Chattachoochee rivers. The native word for the most powerful band of Creeks was the "Muskogees". The Creek native Americans were the most powerful and widespread tribe of the Southeast culture area. It was also thought that the Creeks were long lost ancestors of the Mound Builders. Villages "The Chief of The Creek village or tribe was called an amirco, but he was not the absolute ruler." His job in the village included making important decisions.Once he made a decision many town criers would go out to announce the it to other tribes within the Creek. The Creeks were agricultural, but war like. The number of Creeks at one time was 30,000. The villages were separated into two red and white. Red towns had warriors who launched raids far and wide for purposes of honor and revenge. Red Creeks usually held war dances often to protect them selves in battle. Within the white towns lived most of the peace makers who kept track of alliances and gave sanctuary to refugees or poor people. White Creeks held ceremonies such as the signing of treaties or alliances. Each village had a town square at its center with seats where spectators could sit.The town square was used for ceremonies and games. Each village had a circular town house with clay walls and a cone shaped bark roof about 25 feet high. This was a ceremonial lodge and was also used for shelter for the homeless. Some town houses were smaller with a slanted bark roof only about 10 feet high. The most common house had a slanted bark roof with the roof about 7 feet high these were used for individual families, it held about, four to five people in it.. Each family had a summer and winter house both were packed with mud. The summer house was often used as a guest house for when visitors came to visit. They also owned their own granary which was half open and they also had a warehouse which was open on all four sides similar to a chickee.