The Muscogee Nation

Category: News Release

  • Mvskoke Loan Fund to Host Follow Up Business Workshop

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Oct. 30, 2018

    Mvskoke Loan Fund to Host Follow Up Business Workshop

    MUSKOGEE, Okla. – The Mvskoke Loan Fund will host a half-day workshop for business owners who are looking to generate more business and pique the interest of their target customers through a customer-centric approach.

    Valued at $350 per person, the class is available FREE to Oklahoma residents who are looking for confidence in their sales abilities and increase their production.
    The ExtraBold Sales Training is an extension of i2E’s GrowOK workshop the Mvksoke Loan Fund recently hosted that provides business owners with the skills needed to promote products or services with less apprehension and greater effectiveness.

    The course is shepherded by i2E, an Oklahoma nonprofit corporation that provides advisory services to startup companies.
    The training will be presented by the creator of the ExtraBold System, Catherine Brown, who uses social science research and an interactive format to increase revenue-generating activities and increase business with immediate “take aways”.

    Mvskoke Loan Fund Chief Executive Officer Christopher Coburn said the workshop is designed to get the target customer interested and get the business.
    “You can’t be shy, you have to go get it,” Coburn said. “Now the customers who attended GrowOK know what they’re doing and have an idea on how to tell their story. Now they need to get out there and get people interested.”

    ExtraBold is offered through a joint partnership with multiple sponsors including REI Women’s and Native American Business Centers and is funded in part through a U.S. Small Business Administration cooperative agreement.

    For more information on the upcoming training and a complete list of services Mvskoke Loan Fund offers, visit www.MvskokeLoanFund.org or call 918-549-2603.
    The ExtraBold Sales Training will be held Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., in Room C of the Muskogee Civic Center, located at 425 Boston Street Muskogee, OK 74401.
    Visit www.REIOK.org/events to register for the ExtraBold Sales Training.

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  • 4th Quarter Report

    [pdf-embedder url=”//www.muscogeenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/4th-Quarterly-Report-ALL.pdf” title=”4th Quarterly Report ALL”]

  • Where it All Began: Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reflects Arrival to Indian Territory, History of Council Oak Tree

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Oct. 24, 2018

     

    Where it All Began: Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reflects Arrival to Indian Territory, History of Council Oak Tree

     

    TULSA, Okla. – Each year, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation holds its Council Oak Ceremony at the Creek Nation Council Oak Park in Tulsa, Okla., to celebrate the Mvskoke (Muscogee) people and reflect on the tribe’s history and triumphs over the years.

    The gathering allows citizens to not only reflect on the victories that exceeded the trials the Nation has faced throughout history, but also honor the ancestors for their dedication to the tribe and preserving the Mvskoke traditions and beliefs that continue to live on to this day and generations to come.

    With several tribal citizens, dignitaries and community members in attendance, MCN Principal Chief James R. Floyd said the Oct. 20 ceremony was a day set aside as an opportunity to reflect and enjoy fellowship of the Mvskoke people and renew friendships.

    “I especially want to thank the Mekko-vlke (Traditional Leadership) that are here today for all that they do in service to us,” Floyd said. “As this tree is a site that represents the service they’ve served throughout their lives that has passed on to succeeding generations, to these folks here that have dedicated their life to service us and carrying on our traditions and our beliefs.”

    MCN’s Royalty, Miss Nina Fox and Jr. Miss Louisa Harjo, shared the story behind the ceremony and its significance to the tribe, as well as the City of Tulsa.

    After surviving forced-removal from their ancestral homelands of Alabama in 1836, the Nation’s Locvpoka (Locapoga) Tribal Town established their new home at the historic Council Oak tree, which resides within the grounds of the Creek Nation Council Oak Park to this day.

    As a sacred act, the Locvpoka then placed the coals and ash from the original fires of their homelands at the base of the towering tree, thus, the Council Oak tree which is still present today, to rekindle the fire at their new home, as fire is a revered element of the Mvskoke people and plays an integral part in their religious, political and social systems.

    During the ceremony, Muscogee (Creek) citizen Kenneth Johnson detailed the Mvskoke traditions that hold the element of fire to be a sacred representation.

    “A fire built with logs pointing in four cardinal directions from the earliest Mvskoke teachings, instruct that our sacred fire should burn internally; and if extinguished, the Mvskoke people will perish,” Johnson said.

    Johnson discussed the integral role of sacred fires in the religious, political and social systems of the tribe.

    “We take this time to honor all of our tribal towns and our Mvskoke men and women who perpetuate the traditional ways and keep these ceremonial fires burning,” Johnson said. “So, today we gather to honor those past and present that preserve, protect and live the Mvskoke traditions, cultures and life ways.”

    Deemed the first settlement of the City of Tulsa, Okla., the Council Oak tree is also where the Locvpoka Tribal Town, upon arriving to Indian Territory, convened and re-established tribal government and held governmental meetings, gatherings, ceremonies, games and feasts; and became known as Tulsa’s first town hall and the first gathering place.

    From 1836 to 1896, the Nation conducted business around the tree and had a significant influence on the surrounding area that would later be known as the City of Tulsa, deriving from the Creek word, ‘Tallasi’ or ‘Tvlvhasse’, meaning ‘old town’.

    Floyd thanked the citizens and non-citizens in attendance said it’s the Nation’s prayer that the park continues to be utilized as a place to go for reflection and inspiration and guidance in decision making.

    While the Mvskoke culture and traditions have remained prominent in the community, this year’s ceremony was a momentous time for the relationship between the City of Tulsa and the MCN.

    Earlier this year, Tulsa Public Schools announced the renaming of Lee Elementary to Council Oak Elementary in respect to the school and park’s half-mile proximity.

    More notably, the implementing of the 1887 Dawes Act prior to Oklahoma’s statehood, would indicate the Creek Nation Council Oak Park, located at 1750 S. Cheyenne Tulsa, Okla., is two original allotments away from the school.

    “It is our intention as the tribe to have an ongoing relationship with the school and that has already started with discussions with the school administration,” Floyd said. “The MCN Public Relations is working with the school a special event to officially unite the two. Our staff will be going in and teaching them not only about Creek history but the history here and allotment of lands.”

    In 1992, the Creek Nation Council Oak Park was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. However, the Council Oak tree was added in 1976 to the National Registry.

     

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  • All About the People: MCN Program Provides Care and Support to Sexual Assault Survivors

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Oct. 22, 2018

     

    All About the People: Muscogee (Creek) Nation Program Provides Care and Support to Sexual Assault Survivors

    OKMULGEE, Okla. – Among the various services the Muscogee (Creek) Nation offers to citizens and communities, the tribe continues to implement new programs that provide assistance to those in need.

    One of the fairly new MCN programs, the MCN Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program, known as the SANE Program, provides comprehensive care and support to victims of sexual violence for Native and non-Native men and women within the tribal jurisdiction.

    Before the MCN SANE Program was established in 2016, MCN Family Violence Prevention Program and the MCN Department of Health joined efforts to identify and resolve gaps in services within the MCN boundaries.

    One of the challenges they recognized was the lack of victims’ resources available to sexual assault survivors in rural communities; including access to sexual assault exams. In turn, victims would have to travel to Tulsa for a SANE exam.

    Funding from the Federal Victims of Crime Act of Victim Assistance Grant (VOCA) allowed MCN to implement the SANE Program to provide free and confidential exams to victims at the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Medical Center in Okmulgee, Okla., and the Creek Nation Community Hospital in Okemah, Okla.

    MCN DOH Public Health Nurse and On-Call SANE Nurse, Brandy Treagesser, said adding the program was a significant impact on the MCN communities.

    “In such a small community that serves such a wide population of people, just having it here people are a lot more likely to report what happened than them not reporting because they would have to drive to Tulsa,” Treagesser said. “And with a small community, I think people are more likely to report and are more comfortable.”

    MCN SANE Program Manager LaResa Williams said providing the SANE Program to survivors is a first step in the healing process.

    Once a call is made to MCN’s 24-hour SANE Hotline, within an hour of that call the sexual assault survivor is able to meet with a SANE Nurse and SANE Advocate who have specialized training in the comprehensive care advocacy of sexual assault victims.

    Adults 18 years or older do not have to report the case to law enforcement. However, any SANE Exam administered to a victim under the age of 18 must be reported to law enforcement.

    After the completed exam, the program’s support and advocacy services are voluntarily available to the survivor from financial and housing assistance to court advocacy throughout the prosecution process as needed.

    “We’re able to meet the needs of citizens and non-citizens within the Nation’s boundaries and put victims in contact with advocacy services,” FVPP Victims’ Advocate Annie Merritt, said. “We can help with emergency shelter, financial services and court advocacy.”

    Merritt said court advocacy is essentially working as a lesion between the victim and the court and law enforcement by explaining the court process, attending interviews, meetings and court hearings, as well as offering emotional support.

    “We’re providing the information back to the victims and interpreting the criminal justice process and also providing that emotional support,” Merritt said. “Most aren’t familiar with the different hearings and just having us there to explain that and provide them that comfort and support throughout and a familiar face.”

    As part of the SANE Program, Domestic Violence Exams are also administered to victims of intimate partner violence and services offered to victims of domestic violence.

    Bringing awareness to domestic violence and sexual assault and providing support to the victims is imperative to the Nation, because it’s all about the people.

    For more information on the services available to victims as well as full details of the SANE Program, visit the FVPP website at www.muscogeenation.com/services/family-violence-prevention-program.

    The 24-hour SANE Hotline can be reached at 918-732-7979 where an advocate is available at all times to speak with.

     

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  • All About the People: Muscogee (Creek) Citizen Credits Nation for Education, Experience

    (Photo courtesy of Clint Summers)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Oct. 12, 2018

    All About the People: Muscogee (Creek) Citizen Credits Nation for Education, Experience

    TULSA, Okla. – Muscogee (Creek) citizen, Clint Summers, is in his third and final year of law school at the University of Tulsa and was recently selected as TU College of Law’s 2018 Oklahoma Bar Association Student of the Year.

    Each year, Oklahoma law schools select one graduating student as the OBA award recipient and to be recognized at the association’s event held in November.

    Born in Oklahoma City, Summers grew up in Dallas, Texas and later attended the University of Oklahoma before relocating to take a position at Willliams in Tulsa. He later left the company to study law at TU.

    Summers said with the help of grant funding, MCN made it possible for him to receive both his undergraduate and post-graduate degrees.

    “I wouldn’t have gotten either degrees the way I did without Creek Nation,” Summers said. “The Creek Nation has always been a really big source of pride for me and my family to be members and part of the Nation. I think it really has shaped the direction of both my education and my career.”

    Summers received funding through the MCN Higher Education Department’s Undergraduate and Post-Graduate Grants. Most recently, he was awarded the MCN Higher Education Doctoral Grant.

    While finishing up his degree TU, he is also working as an articles research editor for the Tulsa Law Review, as well as a research assistant working for TU Professor Russell Christopher who specializes in criminal law.

    In addition to the prominent awards and honors Summers has received, he has also gained significant experience on the federal courts level through externships with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma in Tulsa.

    Summers authored an article to be published soon in the American Indian Law Journal titled “Rethinking the Federal Indian Status Test: A Look at the Supreme Court’s Classification of the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma.”

    After graduation, he will serve one year as a law clerk to the Honorable Claire V. Eagan, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma in Tulsa and the following year he will serve one year as a law clerk to the Honorable Jacques L. Wiener Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans, La.

    Summers has been looking into programs to apply for after completing his externships that would allow him to practice Native American Law.

    “Being a Creek citizen is just a sense of pride for me and it’s directed me toward Native American Law and that’s something I really hope to practice after my clerkships,” Summers said.

    Summers said he is honored and grateful for the recognition and experience he has received throughout his career.

    The countless achievements of citizens and their stories of success is what motivates the Nation’s departments and services to help in all aspects of life when needed because ‘it’s all about the people’.

    The MCN Higher Education Department offers grants to Muscogee (Creek) citizens pursuing undergraduate and post-graduate degrees from an accredited college or university.

    The department offers three Undergraduate Grants; The Tribal Fund Grant, Bureau of Indian Affairs Grant and Tribal Incentive Grant.

    The Post-Graduate Grants include the Doctoral Degree Program and the Master’s Program.

    For more information on additional assistance MCN Higher Education provides, visit the departmental website at www.muscogeenation.com/services/education-training/higher-education/ or contact the office at 918-732-7661.

    Grant requirements, applications and deadlines are available on the website, as well.

     

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  • Muscogee (Creek) Citizens, City of Okmulgee Celebrate First Indigenous Peoples’ Day

    (Photo by: Amanda Rutland/MCNPR) Muscogee (Creek) Nation elders sang at the celebration of  Okmulgee’s first Indigenous Peoples’ Day Oct. 8, at the MCN Council House in downtown Okmulgee.

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Oct. 9, 2018

    OKMULGEE, Okla. – A quaint gathering celebrated in the Muscogee (Creek) capitol city for Okmulgee’s first Indigenous Peoples’ Day as proclaimed by the City of Okmulgee Mayor Steve Baldridge Oct. 8, 2018.

    Muscogee (Creek) citizens and others gathered at the MCN Council House Lawn for Baldridge’s reading of the city’s resolution, as well as remarks from MCN National Council Representatives Del Beaver and James Jennings of Okmulgee County District.

    The event location at the MCN Council House, located in the center square of Okmulgee, was momentous as the MCN Historic Council House was established in 1867 as the Nation’s Capitol.

    Baldridge said the proclamation was something that should have been done a long time ago however was honored to create the resolution, which officially declared the second Monday in October and every year thereafter as Indigenous Peoples’ Day for Okmulgee.

    Baldridge read the resolution, which reaffirmed the city’s commitment to Native Americans by promoting collaboration efforts between indigenous and non-indigenous communities and tribal governments.

    “The City of Okmulgee values the many contributions made to our community through indigenous people’s knowledge, labor, technology, science, philosophy, arts and the deep cultural and spiritual contributions that has substantially shaped the character of many of the citizens of Okmulgee,” Baldridge said.

    Beaver and Jennings spoke on behalf of the Nation and thanked the city for recognizing the Mvskoke people and all indigenous people within the community.

    “I’ve lived here in Okmulgee and claimed Okmulgee as my home all of my life,” Jennings said. “I’d like to thank the mayor and Okmulgee City Council for declaring this day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day. It’s been a long time coming.”

    In support of the proclamation, MCN Principal Chief James R. Floyd prepared a letter of appreciation for Baldridge stating the Nation’s readiness to work with the City of Okmulgee for the well-being of the community.

    “As this holiday celebrates Native Americans and commemorates our shared history and culture, we appreciate the thoughtfulness and show our gratitude toward the relationship we have with the community,” Floyd’s statement read.

    The Society to Protect Indigenous Rights and Indigenous Treaties (SPIRIT) group hosted the celebration that included other citizen remarks, Creek hymns by Mvskoke Women’s Leadership and Okmulgee Indian Community and vendor booths set up on the lawn.

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  • MCN Principal Chief speaks, shows support during trauma-informed instruction summit

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Oct. 8, 2018 

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief Speaks, Shows Support During Trauma-Informed Instruction Summit  

    OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James R. Floyd attended the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Trauma Summit, ‘It Starts Here: Trauma-Informed Instruction’ at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., Oct. 2.

    MCN was the Presenting Sponsor for the two-day summit that addressed childhood trauma and advocacy by providing educators with the tools to identify and respond to children dealing with adverse experiences.

    Floyd was invited to speak at the conference to the several hundred attendees from state and national government agencies and non-profit organizations, as well as Oklahoma tribal nations and educators from across the state.

    OSDE State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister introduced Floyd and commended MCN for its dedication to improving the well-being of Oklahoma children.

    “We would not be here today without the support of our tribal partners,” Hofmeister said. “The Muscogee (Creek) Nation has been an important partner in this work and I want to thank them right now. The Nation is strongly committed to doing whatever it will take to help our children and connect the dots not only to our native children but to all Oklahoma school children and those yet to start.”

    Floyd thanked the educators, community leaders and volunteers for their commitment and help in reaching the state’s goals needed to make schools a safe and supportive environment for every child.

    “As the state works to provide education to ensure a foundation of safety, understanding and caring, it is paramount I am here today strongly in support of the efforts of my staff, MCN Secretary of Education Greg Anderson and his staff,” Floyd said. “I want to make sure they feel supported because we deal with these issues back home just like you do in your communities.”

    Floyd said childhood adversity must be a priority of Oklahoma’s and the educational and governmental entities must act boldly and effectively to help those students affected by childhood trauma.

    “Muscogee (Creek) Nation, like all tribal nations and their communities and their students throughout Oklahoma, are no strangers to this reality and this trauma,” Floyd said. “However, we remain committed to promoting and supporting the trauma-informed approach and professional development at this most crucial time by providing our time, staffing, facilities and funding to create effective and corrective solutions for childhood adversity.”

    Floyd said departments including MCN Family and Child Services, MCN Department of Health and MCN Department of Education and Training stand ready, willing and able to assist in the effort to ensure communities and schools identify and support students effected by trauma.

    For more information on the services and assistance MCN provides, visit the nation’s website at www.muscogeenation.com.

     

  • All About the People: Mvskoke Language Program Begins Offering Beginner Classes

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Oct. 5, 2018

    All About the People: Mvskoke Language Program Begins Offering Beginner Classes

    OKMULGEE, Okla. – Among the several departments and services Muscogee (Creek) Nation offers to citizens, and at times the public, the Mvskoke Language Program’s goal is to preserve, maintain and revitalize the Mvskoke language through ongoing projects.

    Funded through MCN and National Council support, the program began in 2004 as a Resource Center for those interested in learning or teaching the language of our people.

    The Beginner Mvskoke Language Class is a new class offered to the public at no cost. The class is held every Monday and Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and is taught by Gracine Hicks, a program instructor or ‘myhayv’.

    The Intermediate Mvskoke Language Class is a continuation of an ongoing class taught by myhayv Rebecca Barnett that started in August of 2017 and is held Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

    The program also has three instructors who teach at jurisdictional schools and head start programs including Muskogee, Wetumka, Okemah, Wainwright, Tulsa, Okmulgee, Checotah, Eufaula Head Start Centers, as well as Okmulgee Day Care and the Eufaula Boarding School.

    Mvskoke Language Program Manager Judy Montiel said about 250 to 275 individuals receive the language education on a weekly basis.

    For those who are unable to attend the weekly classes, other resources are available at no cost such as, CD’s, DVD’s and Resource Packets that contain crossword puzzles, word searches, coloring books and the Mvskoke alphabet and two and three letter sounds.

    As part of preserving the language, the program has an ongoing Hymn Project to provide free Mvskoke Hymns booklets. Different singers are brought in and given a small incentive to record hymns of the department’s choice.

    “Our hopes with that are not only for an archive purpose, but also for those that are wanting to learn some hymns and we do get those requests,” Montiel said.

    The New Testament Bible is also available in Microsoft Word format, as well as the audio version. The CD version is nearing completion and will be available soon, as well.

    A yearly calendar, a week long immersion camp for Muscogee (Creek) youth, along with several other projects and resources available, are ways the program can do its part in maintaining the Mvskoke culture for years to come.

    “It’s important because if we don’t learn and teach the language, we lose it,” Montiel said. “It’s part of our identity as who we are as Mvskoke people. It’s a doable thing to learn the language. I just feel it’s important for each of us to have a role in either teaching it or learning it.”

    In November 2017, the program received the Perry Aunko Indigenous Language Preservation Award at the 20th Annual Dream Keepers Awards by the Greater Tulsa Indian Affairs Commission for the exposure of the Nation’s language through events and education.

    The program plans to expand community outreach efforts by adding a coordinator position in the future that will create partnerships with additional schools.

    For more information on the Mvskoke Language Program and the available resources, visit the website at www.muscogeenation.com/services/mvskoke-language-program or call 918-732-7724.

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  • MCN Principal Chief, Citizens Recognized as AARP Oklahoma’s 10th Annual Indian Elder Honorees

    (Photo Courtesy of AARP Oklahoma)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Oct. 4, 2018

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief, Citizens Among Those Recognized as AARP Oklahoma’s 10th Annual Indian Elder Honorees

    OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James R. Floyd was among the six Muscogee (Creek) citizens who were recognized as AARP Oklahoma’s 10th Annual Indian Elder Honorees at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Okla. Oct. 2, 2018.

    Before his role as MCN Principal Chief, Floyd served as the Director of the Eastern Oklahoma Veterans Affairs in Muskogee, Okla. Floyd has an extensive background in the health care system.

    His background in health won him numerous honors including; American College of Healthcare Executives’ Regent’s Award, a lifetime achievement for demonstrating leadership ability and innovative and creative management.

    Floyd also managed the first tribal-owned hospital in the U.S. and negotiated the transfer of several clinics from Indian Health Services to tribal management.

    As the leader of the fourth largest tribe in the Nation, Floyd was recognized by Oklahoma Magazine as one of the top five leaders in the state. The magazine told MCN Public Relations that Floyd was chosen for all that has been accomplished for his people and mainly for his business interests.

    When Floyd came into office in 2015, he inherited a $70 million deficit and in less than a year he turned it around. He was also credited for the completion of the $365 million River Spirit Casino Resort and the recent land into trust project at the Fountainhead Resort. The prime acreage near Eufaula Lake is now tax-free and fully tribally-owned.

    (Photo Courtesy of AARP Oklahoma)

    “My job as a leader is to listen to the needs of my people,” Floyd said. “It’s very humbling to receive awards like this because I know it comes at the nomination of the people. That’s why it means even more.”

    Rachael Sourjohn, a tribal citizen who works with the Mvskoke Nation Youth Services, nominated Floyd for this year’s Indian Elder Honors.

    “He was the first person I thought of… To see how much he’s done and how much he cares about our tribe,” said Sourjohn. “He’s turned our tribe around and got us flourishing and got us back to our roots, preserving our culture and language. It was a gift to me to be able to honor him.”

    Sourjohn also noted Floyd cares deeply for our elders and supports the children’s programs 100 percent.

    “I love how he loves our youth, he’s like our number one fan,” Sourjohn said.

    In addition to Floyd being honored at this year’s banquet, recognition was also given to Muscogee (Creek) citizens Delois Louise Dunzy Roulston, Joy Harjo-Sapulpa, Justice Leah Harjo-Ware, Mickey White, Thomas Yahola and eight other honorees with Mvskoke ancestry for their contributions.

    Since 2009, AARP has honored 500 members from all 39 of Oklahoma’s federally-recognized tribes who have made positive contributions to their tribes, communities, state and Nation.

    Out of the 50 or older and living Native Americans nominated for this year’s award, AARP Oklahoma selected 50 of those elders whose contributions are consistent with the organization’s mission and vision to inspire others to service, as stated in the honoree announcement letter.

    A full biography of each honoree and their contributions is available at the AARP Oklahoma website: https://states.aarp.org/aarp-recognizes-native-elders-at-10th-annual-indian-elder-honors/.

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  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health Utilizes Grant Funding to Take on Opioid Crisis

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Oct. 4, 2018

     

    OKMULGEE, Okla. – As a result of the National Opioid Crisis, Muscogee (Creek) Nation has reacted by filing a federal lawsuit against major opioid manufacturers distributors and pharmacies; now the Nation is using grant funding to combat the epidemic throughout its 11-county jurisdiction.

    The most recent grant for $943,088 was awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program (COAP) to fund a master data platform with three specific goals the tribe will implement.

    The overall strategy of the MCN’s COAP is to establish the platform that will track and identify patient trends within the MCN Department of Health system, create a multidisciplinary task force for internal policy and procedures to prevent and treat opioid use disorder and finally, allow MCNDOH to expand treatment options through additional certification and training of providers.

    Since the opioid epidemic became a forefront of the Nation’s concerns, MCNDOH has been awarded four opioid-related grants totaling close to $2 million in funding.

    The other grants include Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) project, and funding from the Center for Disease Control.

    MCN will utilize the collaboration of grants to provide treatment options for patients by opening an outpatient pain and addiction center.

    MCN Secretary of Health Shawn Terry said the Tribal Health Management Structure grant will specifically fund the costs associated with creating an infrastructure that will allow the Nation to house multiple specialists and services in one Okmulgee, Okla. location.

    MCNDOH anticipates once the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget is passed, the pain and addiction center should be up and running at the MCN Physical Rehabilitation Center.

    Additional funding of $787,000 will allow the tribe to acquire a tracking system within the healthcare system and educate clinical staff on how to screen patients for signs of addiction or high-risk factors of abuse.

    As a result of the lawsuit MCN filed in U.S. Federal Court, the Nation is one of only two tribes chosen as a test case for Tribal Track, which was created by Ohio Federal Judge Dan Poster for the tribal opioid litigation.

    Terry said because of the tribe’s position on the national epidemic, it is paramount the Nation utilizes available funding to mitigate and prevent the problem.

    “We are leading the country; we’re being the bellwether case on these lawsuits,” Terry said. “So, we’re going to lead the country in the lawsuit, we will also lead the country in having developed a program of how we’re addressing and using this funding. We have to be able to identify those people at risk and treat those people or refer them out.”

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  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation Kicks Off Native American Day Festivities with the City of Tulsa

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Oct. 3, 2018

     

    Tulsa, Okla. – Muscogee (Creek) Nation will team up with the City of Tulsa and the Greater Tulsa Indian Affairs Commission for this year’s celebration of Native American Day on Monday, Oct. 8.

    The event will take place at Guthrie Green with an official welcome from MCN Principal Chief James R. Floyd and other city and tribal leaders. The reading of the proclamation will kick off festivities at 11 a.m.

    The parade starts at 11:30 a.m. featuring Chief Floyd, MCN Royalty, Lighthorse, Mvskoke Nation Youth Services, Office of Child Care and Environmental Services. Chief Floyd, Cherokee Chief Bill John Baker and Osage Chief Geoff Standing Bear will serve as parade marshals.

    Following the parade, the day will be full of Native culture with the posting of colors, traditional and non-traditional music, social dances, a movie and more.

    Native American Day will also offer informational booths that will include; Historic and Cultural Preservation, Tourism and Recreation, Mvskoke Media, Election Board and Language.

    More than 70 percent of modern-day Tulsa is Creek Territory and considered the founders of Tulsa. Tulsa is the shortened version of the Mvskoke word Tallasi, meaning “Old Town.”

    If you cannot make it to Tulsa, the City of Okmulgee and Mvskoke citizen, Brenda Golden, have a separate event to start at noon at the Historic Council House in downtown Okmulgee. Members of MCN National Council and city leaders are expected to be in attendance.

    Okmulgee and Oklahoma City are the latest cities to adopt a resolution recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous People’s Day. Tulsa was the first major city in the state to adopt it last year. The day acknowledges the state’s Native culture and works as an alternative to Columbus Day.

    The public is invited and encouraged to attend both of these events. If you are not able to attend, please visit our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/mcnpr for all the sights and sounds.

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  • Fountainhead Creek Golf Course holds ribbon cutting for re-opening

    by: Amanda Rutland/MCNPR

    CHECOTAH, Okla. — The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Fountainhead Creek Golf Course held a ribbon cutting Oct. 1 to celebrate the new facility updates.

    The updates include new golf carts, new greens and a new roof among other things. Principal Chief James Floyd said the state of the art golf carts have lithium batteries to last longer. The carts are more efficient and are equipped with GPS.

    “It will be a lighter foot print on the golf course and so the golf course is a jewel here and one we want to protect,” Floyd said.

    Fountainhead General Manager Jimmy Saenz started four months ago. He said the facility has a lot of plans including hole re-configurations and they are just getting started.

    “We are looking to bring quality back to the golf course,” Saenz said. “I’ve gotten an opportunity to play the full 18 holes here, love it.”

    Fountainhead has also moved to a tiered pricing structure to make the course affordable for everyone.

    Saenz announced that in the spring, they would be opening a teaching academy for high school students.

    For more information about Fountainhead Creek Golf Course, visit: www.fountainheadgolf.com or call: (918) 689-3209.

  • Mvskoke Loan Fund to Host GrowOK Workshop Oct. 19

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Sept. 25, 2018

     

    OKMULGEE, Okla. – As a Training Partner of the GrowOK project, Mvskoke Loan Fund will host a free GrowOK Workshop Oct. 19 in Okmulgee, Okla.

    Valued at $375 per person, the one-day class is available FREE to Oklahoma residents who are looking to start a business or grow an existing business.

    GrowOK is a project funded through a U.S. Economic Development Administration grant with matching funds from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Cherokee, Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations, as well as Oklahoma Business Roundtable and the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology.

    The program provides tools to new and expanding businesses by helping them in ‘targeting the ideal customer’ and then increasing that customer base.

    GrowOK was created to diversify rural Oklahoma economies and create job opportunities through promoting the small businesses of under served Native and rural entrepreneurs.

    The training is an expansion of the Venture Assessment Program created by i2E, an Oklahoma corporation that provides advisory services to startup companies.

    Mvskoke Loan Fund Chief Executive Officer Christopher Coburn said this training meets the needs of customers and potential loan clients. It also complements well the ongoing training provided by Mvskoke Loan Fund’s Business Boot Camp courses.

    How does this benefit the community? “When our people are able to generate more income and provide for their families and their future, it makes the tribe as a whole stronger and the community, as well,” Coburn said.

    In addition to providing business loans to Muscogee (Creek) citizens and members of other federally-recognized tribes, Mvskoke Loan Fund hosts trainings such as GrowOK as part of its services offered.

    Mvskoke Loan Fund is a non-profit corporation and Community Development Financial Institution certified by the U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund. Mvskoke Loan Fund provides financial-related skills and programs, which include in-house tax preparation, financial literacy education, business planning assistance and more.

    “We teach clients how to handle money, how to use money to better their lives and for qualified applicants we provide the loans to make it happen,” Coburn said.

    For more information and a complete list of services Mvskoke Loan Fund offers, visit www.MvskokeLoanFund.org or call 918-549-2603.

    The Oct. 19 GrowOK workshop will be held 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the College of the Muscogee Nation in the Student Center, Rooms 107 and 108, located at 2170 Raven Circle Okmulgee, OK 74447.

    To register for the training, visit the GrowOK website at www.GrowOk.org. Seating is limited and open to the first 60 people registered. Lunch will be provided.

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  • The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Royalty Report: Ocmulgee Indian Celebration

    The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Royalty Report

    Shelby Botone/MCNPR

    As the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Royalty Coordinator, it is a privilege to work closely with the Miss and Jr. Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation and witness these young Mvskoke women take part in the Nation’s events and embrace the Mvskoke culture.

    My name is Shelby Botone and this past weekend, MCN Miss Nina Fox and Jr. Miss Louisa Harjo traveled to Macon, Ga., for the Ocmulgee Indian Celebration. This is a brief look at the MCN Royalty fulfilling their duties as ambassadors of the Nation. The three-day event took place at the Ocmulgee National Monument from Sept. 14 – 16, 2018. The celebration included cultural demonstrations from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, as well as other tribal nations.

    Miss and Jr. Miss MCN enjoyed the first day visiting with children from local school districts. After the princesses participated in the Stomp Dance demonstration, they were able to visit the various booths and tables that were set up for cultural presentations and the selling of Native American merchandise. The make-and-take tables consisted of cornhusk dolls, jewelry, basket weaving and warclubs. They took numerous pictures with the school children, who were very excited to meet them. Later in the day, Nina and Louisa were able to partake in a tour along with fellow Muscogee (Creek) citizens who also made the trip. While on the tour,
    they were able to experience and learn the history of the Ocmulgee Mounds and their Mvskoke ancestors that once inhabited the mounds.

    The MCN Honor Guard started off each day of the event with the presentation of the flags and the playing of the Nation’s flag song.

    And on the second day, the ladies took part in the Stomp Dance exhibition along with other citizens, including MCN Principal Chief James R. Floyd. Audience members were also welcomed to join in on the demonstration and many did just that. Nina and Louisa then enjoyed the other tribal demonstrations from the Mississippi Choctaws and some Cherokees, such as stickball and various dances. They then took time to explore the Ocmulgee National Monument Museum where they spoke with visitors and shared with them their knowledge of the Mvskoke culture and history.

    During their downtime, the princesses were able to take in their first Major League Baseball game. The ladies watched as the Atlanta Braves took on the Washington Nationals at Suntrust Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. They even participated in the ‘wave’ with the home crowd and did the ‘Cupid Shuffle’ dance in and around the stadium. Jr. Miss even had her first Japanese Hibachi experience. The girls also indulged in the other great eats
    that Macon and Atlanta had to offer!

    On the final day, they participated in the morning session Stomp Dance demonstration and spoke with more visitors before they had to head to Atlanta to catch their flight back to Oklahoma.

    With this journey, Nina and Louisa were able to learn a lot more about the history of their ancestral homelands and become more familiar with where they come from. I am hopeful this experience can be something they take with them that will help them continue on the path of being strong Mvskoke women.

    This is also something that we hope all of our future Mvskoke Royalty will be able to experience for years to come!

    Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation: My Experience

    Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation Nina Fox

    My experience at the Ocmulgee Celebration was beyond words. When we first arrived at the event I didn’t know what to expect, let alone how I would feel.
    The first day, some local schools came out for an educational field trip. That day, Jr. Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation Louisa Harjo and I participated in the Stomp Dance demonstration and had the chance to talk to some of the kids. All of them were so excited and looked eager to learn about the mounds and the people who lived there.

    Towards the end of the event we were leaving to have a little break to clean up and cool down. While walking to the car a little girl came up to me and asked me if I was a princess, I replied ‘yes’, and she got so excited. I gave the girl one of my cards with my picture on it and as soon as I looked up, I was surrounded by a bunch of kids wanting a card, as well. They all said ‘thank you’ and were asking me questions. That moment made me realize how ecstatic they were to be there and to see us.

    While on a guided tour, we had the chance to go to the top of The Great Temple Mound. Being at the top of the mound was just pure beauty because you could see all of the scenery that included the trees and a river. Being out there gave me the sense of home. It was comforting and felt like I belonged there. I had previously asked former misses about their experience out there and they all said similar things. In that moment I knew what they had meant.

    When I turned around I could see tall buildings and hotels, this just made me think about how far we have come as Mvskoke people. Even though we have been through so much, we continue to show people that we are still here and that we will always be here.

    On the second and third days of the event, we participated in the Stomp Dance demonstration again and had the opportunity to talk to some more people. I got to talk to some individuals about what our titles were about and educate them a little about modern day Mvskoke people.

    This trip has shown me how far we have come and what we have been through and how we continue to grow as people. I have learned so much on this trip not only about our people but about myself. Going to Georgia with some of my fellow Muscogee (Creek) citizens, made this trip so much more special to me because it truly made it feel more like home. I encourage anyone who can visit the mounds to go out there to experience it. I hope to one day visit again.

     

    Jr. Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation Louisa Harjo: My Experience

    by: Jr. Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation Louisa Harjo

    Representing at Georgia was such an astounding experience that I will always have in my heart. It was really cool getting to see so many people come out and visit. We met all kinds of great people out there.
    It was so awesome to see our Mvskoke people with booths set up teaching others about our culture. It was amazing to see how the Mvskoke built the things they did with so many creative designs and patterns without the use of as many tools made available to us today. They just had to use what was around them at the time.

    Seeing and learning the history of the Ocmulgee Mounds gave me a creative and spiritual feeling that I cannot put into words. Through all the active things I do and am involved in, it made me think about how many great people are in my life and how I am so blessed to be where I am at now.

    In some way, we all have a creative skill that we are good at and we get so much of our creative part from our ancestors. Life is pure creative energy. I like to think that once you open that creativity, you’re giving back a
    gift to you and the creator.

    It’s also sad to think about what they had to go through but yet, this event demonstrated their perseverance.The way I think of it is not only did they use songs and dances, but they also opened up the creative part of
    them to help keep them going, which probably made gentle but powerful changes.

    Mvto!!! Mahes ce!!! (I’m so grateful) that I got to have those types of feelings during my visit to our homelands in Macon, Ga., it was really something!

  • Muscogee (Creek) citizens host Trail of Tears Commemoration

    Amanda Rutland/MCNPR

    MT. JULIET, Tenn. — Natives and non-Natives alike gathered for the 15th Annual Trail of Tears Commemorative Walk to mark the 180-year memorial. The event took place over two days in Mt. Juliet and Woodbury, Tennessee.

    Event coordinator and Muscogee (Creek) citizens Melba Checote-Eads said the event has a dual purpose to educate and to heal, but it also honors all tribes that have been displaced from the southeast.

    “When we walk and when we talk about these Trail of Tears stories, we want to bring up all of our people that were forcibly removed from their homeland,” Checote-Eads said.

    The commemorative walk traces the 800 mile Northern Route of the Trail of Tears, which was taken by 10,000 Cherokees and approximately 500 Muscogees.

    The event brings awareness to the intense hardships suffered by the southeastern tribes on the trail. There are no federal or state recognized tribes that reside in Tennessee. Muscogee (Creek) citizen and Tennessee resident Cindy Yahola said that people in the area believe all the tribes died out.

    Checote-Eads said the event started as the vision of a fellow church member.

    “It was a vision of a little man at the church there, Cooks United Methodist Church. He was from Oklahoma, but he was non-Indian,” Checote-Eads said. “He said, ‘When I keep seeing this Trail of Tears sign, I want us to do something about it. I want our church to do something about it.’ ”

    Muscogee (Creek) ministry team Betty Samuels and her husband, Rev. Ray Samuels made the trip from Oklahoma to Tennessee, to be part of the event something they have done together for the past 15 years. They contribute Muscogee hymns and prayers to the commemorative walk.

    Checote-Eads is grateful that Muscogee people are coming back to the Homelands.

    “Healing and reconciliation and restoration is really those big things that we need to do,” Checote-Eads said. “It really touched me that they and our people needed to heal. They had gone on living, raising families and singing our hymns, being the people that we are, but we did not touch the idea of the Trail.”

    This year’s observance included the Native Praise Choir from Oklahoma. The Native Praise Choir is a ministry of the Native American Link.

    Native American Link Director and Muscogee (Creek) citizen Augusta Smith said walking the trail and being part of the commemoration was a heart wrenching experience.

    “I think the greatest pain that I feel is recognizing that our people were not respected. They were not honored and they were not valued. That is the part that is hardest to accept, but also recognizing that we need to move on,” Smith said.

    Smith echoed the same sentiment as Checote-Eads.

    “We live today as a result of the experience they endured and they experienced much death, much sorrow, much grief, but yet they kept going. That speaks to the perseverance of our people.”

  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation Elderly Nutrition Program Participants Survey, Taste-Test New Food Options for Lunch Program

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Sept. 14, 2018

    GLENPOOL, Okla. – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Elderly Nutrition Program invited its program participants to attend the Elderly Nutrition Annual Food Show at the Glenpool Conference Center Sept. 12, 2018.

    More than 175 elders attended the show and tried out new foods and dishes from nine different vendors including shrimp, calamari, pot roast, desserts and other meats and side dishes.

    The Food Show, which now takes place twice a year in the Spring and Fall, is a collaboration between the MCN program and its food distributor, Sysco, that brings in the different products available for purchase.

    MCN Food Distribution Services Director Anna Sterner said the show is an opportunity to change up the weekly lunch menu, as well as get the elders’ feedback on the different foods they like and dislike before placing a large order.

    “Some of the elders they might think certain foods are too spicy or something and so we try to incorporate their feedback before we order that way we aren’t buying items they may not care for or aren’t going to eat,” Sterner said.

    When the participants arrive to the show, they are given a survey booklet that allows the elders to vote “Yes” or “No” on the items presented by each vendor, as well as a comment section.

    The event brings in the help of MCN Elderly Nutrition employees from all 10 of the centers throughout the MCN jurisdiction to serve the 175 attendees, which is only a fraction of the Nation’s program participants.

    Sterner said each month, the 10 nutrition sites combined serve between 11,000 and 12,000 meals to citizens and other Federally-Recognized tribal members within the MCN communities.

    The MCN Elderly Nutrition Centers are located in Bristow, Coweta, Wetumka, Dewar, Muskogee, Sapulpa, Eufaula, Okemah, Holdenville and Okmulgee, Okla.

    The program’s 10 locations provide free meals Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for elders 55 years of age or older and have a Certified Degree of Indian Blood card.

    To participate in the program, elders must provide a copy of their CDIB card and complete an intake form.

    A detailed list of the program guidelines and additional information can be found on the Elderly Nutrition Program website at: //www.muscogeenation.com/services/elderly-nutrition/ or by contact the program’s main number at 918-549-2600.

    The website also lists the address and contact number for each nutrition center.

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  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief, Other Tribal Leaders Collaborate with University of Oklahoma to Promote Higher Education for Native Americans

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Sept. 13, 2018

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief, Other Tribal Leaders Collaborate with University of Oklahoma to Promote Higher Education for Native Americans

     

    NORMAN, Okla. – Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James Floyd joined other Oklahoma tribal dignitaries at the University of Oklahoma’s Inaugural Native Nations Reception for Tribal Leaders event Sept. 11, 2018, at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art on the Norman campus.

    James L. Gallogly, OU’s new president and the university’s 14th president, invited Floyd and other Oklahoma nations in an effort to collaborate and create an ongoing partnership with the tribes and better serve the Native American students.

    Gallogly, who officially took office July 1, 2018, said he hoped the meeting would be the first of many with the tribes and an opportunity for the university to listen and respond to the needs of the Native American students at OU.

    “This is a historic event today on our campus and this should’ve happened so many years ago,” Gallogly said. “But our goal today is incredibly simple; to turn the page, get a fresh start, be a good neighbor and be welcoming to our university.”

    Gallogly said he would also like to see the university be number one in Native American Studies across the country.

    The College of Arts and Sciences Native American Studies Department offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, as well as a MA/JD degree with OU College of Law.

    OU NAS currently offers three native language courses, Cherokee, Choctaw and Kiowa, along with studies specific to Tribal Governance and Policy, Indigenous Media and Arts and Language, as well as the History and Cultural tribal aspects.

    Aside from the educational programs offered to students, the university also has a number of other entities to support and assist the Native population, such as American Indian Student Life.

    AISL provides programs and services including assistance with scholarship and internship opportunities, academic support and offers mentorships to students, as well as holding cultural events, banquets and award ceremonies throughout the year.

    A tribal liaison position has been established under the Office of University Community to work closely with the nations to provide an institutional framework for students.

    Recruiting efforts of the Native American communities is also a primary focus of the Office of Admissions and Recruitment’s Diversity Enrichment Programs.

    Assistant Director of Diversity Enrichment Programs and Comanche Nation citizen, Jared Wahkinney, said his main goal in recruiting is not only to bring native youth to OU, but higher education in general.

    Wahkinney’s recruiting outreach consists of working with tribal leaders, the Johnson O’Malley Programs and tribal higher education programs across the state.

    Floyd said the partnership with Gallogly and the university is a significant opportunity to improve the educational strength of MCN citizens and students for the future.

    Floyd looks forward to the ongoing relationship to offer citizens a positive higher education experience.

    “Too many times we have students that go off to a big college like the University of Oklahoma and sometimes if they don’t have the support, they don’t finish,” Floyd said. “We want to them to have success and I think in developing this relationship, the university will understand what our needs are and can help address the needs of our students so they can graduate and be successful.”

    In April 2018, the Norman campus opened the Native Nations Center, Native Nations Center Endowment and the Hall of Native Nations, which holds 39 different flags that represent the 39 tribal nations throughout Oklahoma.

    The Native Nations Center provides research opportunities for language revitalization, arts and culture, as well as scholarships and overall community and tribal engagement.

    To close the reception, Gallogly said another goal of his is to see the 39 flags of the Oklahoma nations be displayed in a prominent place on campus for everyone to see.

    “We are so proud of your nations and we hope that we can become your very close partner,” Gallogly said.

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  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James Floyd Hails U.S. House Passage of Stigler Act Amendments, urges quick Senate action to approve

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Sept. 12, 2018

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James Floyd Hails U.S. House Passage of Stigler Act Amendments, urges quick Senate action to approve

     

    OKMULGEE, Okla. – On Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve H.R. 2606, the Stigler Act Amendments of 2018, advancing the legislation to the U.S. Senate for their consideration.

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James Floyd hailed today’s vote as a significant victory for the tribe and praised the House’s actions to pass HR 2606. “On behalf of the entire Muscogee (Creek) Nation, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for today’s vote on this legislation that is so critically important to our Nation’s citizens. I urge the Senate to act quickly to approve the House-passed bill and send it on to the President for his signature.”

    H.R. 2606 amends the Stigler Act of 1947, which pertains to the restricted fee status of land for members of the Five Civilized Tribes.  The current law requires the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, along with Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole citizens, to have at least one-half Native American blood quantum to maintain restricted status of their family’s land from original allotted land parcels across Oklahoma when they pass it on to their descendants. The citizens of these five tribes are the only ones in the entire country affected by this unfair and discriminatory requirement.

    MCN stands to gain the most from this passage since it holds the largest land base of the Five Civilized Tribes in its 11-county boundaries.

    H.R. 2606, introduced by Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK), restores fairness to the citizens of the Five Civilized tribes by eliminating blood quantum requirements. This allows lineal descendants by blood of original enrollees named on the Five Tribes membership rolls to maintain restricted fee status on their families’ lands when they pass it on to the next generation. The legislation will ensure that they are treated the same as citizens of every other tribe in the country, who under current federal law, do not have to meet any arbitrary blood quantum requirement to keep their family land in restricted fee status.

    Principal Chief Floyd had special praise for the leadership shown by Oklahoma congressional leaders on this issue. “For far too long, citizens of the Five Civilized Tribes have needed relief from these antiquated blood quantum requirements. Thanks to the extraordinary leadership of Congressman Cole, Congressman Markwayne Mullin, and the other members of the Oklahoma House delegation, the solution to a problem that has afflicted thousands of Oklahoma tribal families is now within reach. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation, along with the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole Nations, stand ready to work with Senators Inhofe and Lankford to finish the this important undertaking before the end of the 115th Congress”.

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  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation Brings Awareness to Diabetes Prevention During Summit

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Aug. 30, 2018

    GLENPOOL, Okla. – Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s Diabetes Program held the 12th Annual Diabetes Awareness Summit Aug. 30, 2018, at the Glenpool Conference Center in Glenpool, Okla.

    Through the collaboration of several MCN programs and volunteers, the tribally funded event brings awareness to the epidemic of diabetes in Native Americans and ways to prevent and manage diabetes.

    The summit provided diabetes related topics including behavioral health, breakout sessions and presentations by Dr. Kevin Morford and Dr. Terence J. Vincent.

    To start the morning, the nearly 300 attendees participated in morning exercise with zumba, walking and yoga.

    Dance classes were offered, as well as education on teeth, foot care and dietary advise on staying healthy.

    Each year the summit alternates locations across the tribal jurisdiction to allow those interested a chance to attend and is open to MCN employees, citizens and members of other federally recognized tribes.

    Kimberlee Little with the MCN Diabetes Program said with the Native American race having one of the highest percentages of those affected by diabetes, it’s important to let people know managing diabetes is possible without amputation, kidney damage and other associated factors.

    According to a Center for Disease Control statistical 2017 report, about 15 percent of Native Americans have diabetes.

    Because of the prevalence of diabetes in the Native American community, the summit evolved from the Women’s Caucus’ suggestion to provide an educational conference to citizens and the MCN Diabetes Program took over the event five years ago.

    “The thought is to just get the awareness out to citizens about how they can prevent diabetes or manage it,” Little said. “It’s important we get this out there because we don’t want people to feel like it’s a death sentence if they are diagnosed for diabetes. Let’s see how we can manage it without having to go through the complications that come with it.”

    The attendees left with goody bags from vendors and educational material.

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  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation to Issue ID Cards Compliant to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, Equivalent to U.S. Passport Card

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Aug. 28, 2018

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation to Issue ID Cards Compliant to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, Equivalent to U.S. Passport Card

     

    JENKS, Okla. – Beginning Sept. 10, 2018, Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizens will have the option to purchase an Enhanced Tribal Card, which is an acceptable ID under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and is equivalent to a U.S. Passport Card.

    Under the WHTI, the ETC is a compliant document that will allow cardholders to travel to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean by land or sea, as well as enter federal buildings.

    The MCN is the ninth tribe in the U.S. to issue the cards to its citizens and the first in Oklahoma.

    The ETC is different than the MCN Citizenship Card and is offered to citizens at $45 as an additional ID valid for five years with $25 renewals, a lesser cost than a U.S. Passport Card.

    In 2015, the MCN Citizenship Board began the process to allow the Nation to issue the ETC, which included several steps of approval from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

    MCN Citizenship Director Nathan Wilson said the federal agencies visited the MCN facilities in Okmulgee, Okla., to approve security of the location. Unfortunately, due to the strenuous security requirements, the Okmulgee location was not approved to issue the ETC.

    However, the MCN Citizenship Office located in Jenks, Okla., received approval to issue the cards.

    “The location of these cards has to be approved first because the cards have to be secured,” Wilson said. “The only people allowed to be in the actual office that houses the cards and the computer system are those approved through Border Protection and Department of Homeland Security and have that certification we have to get through training.”

    The design of the ETC follows the current citizenship card featuring the MCN Mound Building with every element of the card built around the security functionalities.

    “We figured we would stick with the theme of the mound and it actually ended up really well because one of the biggest security features on the card is that image,” Nathan said. “It was kind of neat because when we submitted the card to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, they said it was the most secured card that they have seen.”

    MCN Citizenship System Administrator Jason Walls said once the tribe goes through the audit process and receives a good audit from the DHS, the ETC will be added to the Federal Registry giving the card additional accreditation.

    Those interested in obtaining an ETC must already be a citizen of the tribe and provide a Certified State Issued Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, a valid state issued ID, as well as complete an in-person interview.

    During the in-person interview, the citizen will be asked 10 randomly-selected questions out of a pool of 35 personal questions relevant to that individual.

    A certain percentage of the questions must be answered correctly to be issued an ETC and only two additional attempts are available to citizens.

    Beginning Sept. 10, 2018, the MCN Citizenship Office – Jenks will begin scheduling appointments for citizens to apply for the ETC.

    Wilson said the next hurdle for the department is to implement a process to issue the ETC to at-large citizens at remote locations.

    “We have talked to Homeland Security in regards to what we need,” Wilson said. “It’s just a matter of writing a policy and them approving that policy.”

    That process would allow the department to conduct the in-person interviews but the actual cards would be generated at the office with the secured cardstock.

    The Citizenship Office – Jenks is located at 1000 Riverwalk Terrace, Suite 220, Jenks, Okla., 74037. For additional information on the ETC or to schedule an appointment, contact the Jenks location at 918-701-2611.

     

     

     

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