Category: News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 5, 2019

Muscogee (Creek) Nation announces 2019 Living Legends honorees

OKMULGEE, Okla. — The Muscogee (Creek) Nation announced the 2019 Living Legends honorees. The Living Legends induction began in 2005 and the ceremony continues on as a one of the annual Mvskoke Festival events.

Living Legends honorees are chosen from the nominations submitted to the Living Legends Selection Committee. In order to be considered for Living Legends, nominees must be Muscogee (Creek) citizens, aged 55 years or older and have made significant contributions to the Nation on local, national or international levels. Their impact could be through a variety of capacities including traditional, professional, education and more.

The 2019 inductees are: Michael Flud of Okmulgee, Okla., former MCN Principal Chief Bill Sunday Fife of Dustin, Okla., Martha Jean Froman of Tulsa, Okla., Margaret Floyd of Eufaula, Okla., and Reverend Patrick Freeman of Tahlequah, Okla.

Michael Flud was nominated as an educator and tribal leader within MCN. Flud served on the first Muscogee (Creek) Nation Supreme Court in 1979. He was a member of the court having been re-nominated in 1998 to his fourth consecutive six-year term. He served five terms as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Flud was instrumental in starting the College of the Muscogee Nation. He currently is the President of the Board of Regents for the College of the Muscogee Nation.

Bill Sunday Fife, Vietnam Veteran and former Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief, served six terms as Okfuskee District Representative to the Muscogee (Creek) National Council as well as Director of the Division of Tribal Affairs and as Secretary of the Nation.

He further served as Interim President and Executive Vice President for Bacone College in Muskogee, OK in addition to serving as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

He also served on numerous boards and committees for national, tribal, state, and local organizations.

Martha Jean Froman has devoted over 34 years to Indian education serving as a teacher, counselor and administrator. She has made a positive impact on countless students and she continues to have strong relationships with many of her former students. She served as a counselor and administrator for the MCN operated Eufaula Indian Dormitory for 6 years.

During her years in Indian Education, she served on local and state boards and committees such as Indian Health Care Resource Center, Central Library, Indian Affairs Commission, Oklahoma State Education Committee on World Language, American Indian Institute with Oklahoma University and Oklahoma Council for Indian Education.

Margaret Floyd has taught hundreds of children and improved the quality of life for hundreds of Muscogee (Creek) citizens and their communities during her 91 years.

Granny Margaret as she is fondly called has volunteered as a foster grandparent for more than 30 years in McIntosh County.

She has been recognized with numerous awards including: the Ki Bois Community Action Foundation Granny of the Year Award in 2013, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Volunteer and Community Partner Award in 2014 for mentoring over 150 children through 35,000 donated hours as a Foster Grandparent and other honors.

Floyd continues to support children with reading tutoring, study skills and through showing them love. She attends most school events and support to the students, teachers and coaches.

Reverend Patrick Freeman was the first Muscogee (Creek) citizen to attend a Methodist seminary. He has pastored Native American churches in Kansas and North Carolina where he was recognized for his ministry to the Eastern Band of Cherokees. He returned to Oklahoma to serve and minister in Tahlequah at DD Etchieson Memorial United Methodist Church.

Freeman’s ministry empowers Native people to build and support their faith communities. His churches are known for their generous outreach and he has inspired many other Native people to enter pastoral and ordained ministry. Freeman will soon celebrate 60 years as an ordained minister of the United Methodist Church.

The five inductees will be honored at the Living Legend Ceremony Thursday, June 20, 2019; at 11 a.m. at Faith Church in Glenpool, Okla. Lunch will be served directly after the ceremony.

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For Immediate Release
June 5, 2019

Muscogee (Creek) Nation sues to restore burial site desecrated by Poarch casino

Montgomery, Ala.—The Muscogee (Creek) Nation today filed a federal lawsuit demanding the Poarch Band of Creek Indians immediately return the sacred site known as Hickory Ground to its condition prior to the construction of the Wetumpka, Ala. casino resort, which desecrated the human remains of scores of Muscogee (Creek) ancestors.

“The remains and cultural objects must be put back at peace in their original resting ground,” said Mekko George Thompson, who has served as the traditional Chief of the Hickory Ground Tribal Town for more than four decades. “Our ancestors’ remains have been wrenched from their final resting places and removed. We’re not opposed to development, but a burial ground is no place for a casino.”

The Poarch Band acquired the Hickory Ground site in 1980 by promising to preserve the site, and the U.S. District Court suit asserts that the subsequent desecration and construction were executed unlawfully by Poarch and numerous federal defendants.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation is demanding restoration of the original site, and Mekko Thompson is seeking monetary damages for the intentional infliction of emotional distress.

“We entrusted the Poarch Band to maintain that ground in perpetuity, because that is what they promised,” said Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James Floyd. “Not only did they not do that, they desecrated an extremely important cultural, historical and archaeological site, unearthing remains and sacred objects. They’ve shown no remorse.”

The suit maintains the Poarch Band and the federal government violated federal laws including the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and the Indian Reorganization Act, among others.

The action expands upon a suit first filed in 2012 that was paused while both sides explored a settlement.

Located in Wetumpka, Ala., the 33-acre Hickory Ground is one of the most historically and spiritually important sites to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The sacred site was the tribe’s capital before the Muscogee (Creek) were forcibly relocated in the 1830s to what is now Oklahoma on the infamous Trail of Tears. Hickory Ground is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Despite its desecration by the Poarch, Hickory Ground remains an integral part of Muscogee (Creek) religious and ceremonial life. In the Muscogee (Creek) religion, it is considered sacrilegious to disturb the bodies of ancestors or desecrate ceremonial grounds. Restoration of the site is critical to protect ancestral graves from ongoing desecration. Hickory Ground is a place where Muscogee (Creek) cultural ceremonies were practiced for more than a thousand years. Hundreds of their ancestors were buried there.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation is one of the largest tribes in the United States, with more than 87,000 tribal citizens.

The Poarch Band, which numbers just over 3,000, claims to be composed of Creek descendants who stayed in Alabama, assimilating with non-Indians during the forced removal of southeastern tribes on the Trail of Tears. The group began petitioning for federal recognition at a time when talk of Indian gaming was beginning, and received it in 1984.

“No amount of money is worth betraying our faith and disrespecting our ancestors. That land is sacred ground, and it needs to be returned to its sacred condition,” Mekko Thompson said. “We are fighting for that—for our elders, for our tribal members today, and future generations. This is for all of us.”

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Additional Information and Documents

Media Tips

Background information

Chronology

 The Motion for Leave to file the second amended complaint

The second amended complaint
>

Contact:
Amanda Rutland
Public Relations
arutland@muscogeenation.com
T 918.732.7615 |C 918.752.7302

For immediate release

May 7, 2019

Chaudhuri named Muscogee (Creek) Nation Ambassador              

OKMULGEE, Okla. — The Muscogee (Creek) Nation has named citizen Jonodev Chaudhuri as the Ambassador for the Nation. The MCN Ambassador will strengthen the Nation’s sovereignty and allow for a sustained MCN presence in Washington, D.C.

The Ambassador position was created to uphold the historic sovereign-to-sovereign relationship between MCN and the U.S. The Ambassador will take part in federal executive and congressional discussions that affect MCN interests. It is difficult for MCN leadership to attend many of the meetings at the U.S. Capitol while still attending to the day-to-day operations of the Nation.

“Now, more than ever, it is very important for us to have a voice in D.C. The Nation needed an official onsite advocate,” MCN Principal Chief James Floyd said.

This contractual position was created by National Council legislation, NCA 18-200. The Act sets the first term to expire Dec. 31 of this year and following terms will align with the term of the elected Principal Chief.

The Ambassador is named by the Principal Chief and will work with both the Executive and Legislative Branches. The Ambassador will represent one unified tribal voice and communicate the will of the leadership.

This position does not allow for decisions to be made independently. The Ambassador will be a diplomat of the MCN government, as opposed to serving as a lobbyist or an attorney.

Although this position was recently created, historically MCN has sent diplomats to Washington, D.C., and as such, the creation of the position, as well as the naming of a capable and trusted citizen to serve as Ambassador, is not only a critical exercise of MCN sovereignty, but one that is in keeping with past MCN practices.

“This is nothing new for us; even before Oklahoma statehood Chitto Harjo lobbied Congress to address allotment of communal lands,” Chief Floyd said.

A handful of forward-looking Tribal Nations have established similar diplomatic positions in recent decades, successfully enhancing their efforts to engage in long-term planning and advocacy. MCN looks to build on these models to vigorously exercise its sovereign diplomacy.

Chaudhuri knows his way around D.C. He has served as National Indian Gaming Commission Chairman since 2013, a position nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

In a media release, Chaudhuri reflected on his time with NIGC.

“It has been the honor of my professional life to serve at the NIGC.” Chaudhuri said. “During the five and a

half years I have served as Chairman or acting Chair, the Agency has not only upheld its regulatory responsibilities by adhering to the letter of the law in implementing Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), but we have done so in a manner that is true to the spirit and explicit purpose of the law: to promote tribal economic development, self-sufficiency, and strong tribal governments.”

Prior to serving as Chairman of the NIGC, he served as U.S. Department of the Interior Senior Counselor to the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs.

Chaudhuri recently announced his departure from NIGC and he will begin serving as Ambassador May 16, 2019.

Chaudhuri has maintained a strong relationship with MCN throughout both his personal and professional lives. His late mother, Jean (Hill) Chaudhuri, was an example of a strong Muscogee woman and leader. She was very active during her lifetime in Creek cultural affairs and national Native American advocacy.

Before she passed away, she co-wrote with Chaudhuri’s father, Joy, the book “A Sacred Path: The Way of the Muscogee Creeks.” Chaudhuri is of the Bear Clan and is an active member of Nuyaka Ceremonial Ground. His family church is Green Leaf Baptist in Okemah, Okla.

Chaudhuri has served as a MCN Supreme Court Judge from 2006-2012 and recently has served the Nation in other capacities. He has spent years advocating for tribal sovereignty as a practicing Indian law attorney.

Due to the structure of the ambassador position, Chaudhuri will resume practicing Indian law outside the scope of the ambassadorship. This will allow him to stay up-to-date on the latest issues facing Indian Country adding valuable insight to his experience.

“I look forward to advancing critical policy and helping to implement long-term strategic planning to ensure that MCN preserves and enhances its role as a leader in Indian Country,” Chaudhuri stated. “I am extraordinarily humbled and honored to serve my Nation, and I will do so to the absolute best of my abilities.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 4, 2019

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse vs. National Council basketball games raise money to benefit Angel Tree Project, Murrow Indian Children’s Home

OKMULGEE, Okla. – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse presented checks for $1,000 each to MCN Children & Family Services and Murrow Indian Children’s Home during the MCN National Council March Regular Session on Mar. 30 at the MCN Council House in downtown Okmulgee.

The Lighthorse versus National Council benefit basketball games, held Mar.8 at the Mvskoke Dome, raised $2,000 to aid the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Angel Tree Project and Murrow Indian Children’s Home.

The opening game featured the Lighthorse Explorers versing the Mvskoke Nation Youth Council. Then Lighthorse played against the National Council with over 400 spectators taking part in this event.

“We’ve had great support from the community, from the Council and this administration to support our children who are in tribal foster care or in the care of the State of Oklahoma.,” CFSA Director Kimee Wind-Hummingbird said. “With your donations and generosity throughout the year, we’ve had a lot of opportunities to do things with our youth that we’ve never been able to do before.”

The Angel Tree Project provides for all the children that are receiving services through MCN CFSA, which include programs: Child Protective Services, Tribal Custody, Tribal Juvenile Justice, or Promoting Safe and Stable Families.

Murrow Indian Children’s Home is located in Muskogee, Okla. The home offers residency for at-risk children who have been removed from unsafe homes by either the tribal courts or the state.

For more information regarding donating to the Murrow Indian Children’s call (918) 682-2586 or the Angel Tree Project contact the Children and Family Services at (918) 732-7869.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 1, 2019

TULSA, Okla. – With more than 250 attendees, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health invited Muscogee (Creek) citizens to join other Oklahoma tribes and healthcare professionals for the Pain Management & Opioid Abuse Conference held March 27, 2019, at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Okla.

The conference focused on opioid abuse treatment specific to meeting the needs of Oklahoma tribal citizens and provided tribal and community members with knowledge to help combat the opioid addiction epidemic.

Several informative presentations were given by speakers with various professional backgrounds related to opioid and pain medication abuse, including Lloyd Miller, with the law firm Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry, LLP, who represents the Nation and many other tribes in opioid litigation against the manufacturers and distributors of opioid prescriptions.

Miller discussed the importance of the Native American voice and the significant presence it currently has in opioid litigation.

“I think it’s very important to have as many tribes involved in the case as possible, whether the tribes are large or small, in order to have a profile of Indian Country and to have as much of Indian Country, as possible involved in the litigation,” Miller said.

The conference also outlined information from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a federal agency with the mission to reduce the impact of mental illness and substance abuse on America’s communities.

The information and statistics provided from SAMHSA were presented by the SAMHSA Regional Administrator for Region 6, CMDR Karen Hearod, LSCW, who oversees five states, including Oklahoma, in the nation-wide effort to combat the current opioid crisis.

CMDR Hearod also shared the MCNDH’s specific plans to provide opioid abuse treatment to citizens through the $1.25 millions of SAMHSA funding to be paid over two years to the Nation and its treatment efforts.

“So, SAMHSA is so excited to be able to partner with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in that way,” CMDR Hearod said. “With those dollars, they’ve been able to ask and get evidence-based treatments, such as Medication Assisted Treatment, which is the treatment for Opioid Use Disorder, with one of the three medications that’s approved by the FDA, along with counseling and recovery supports that are so important to people’s long-lasting recovery.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 15, 2019

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Provides Ethics Training Event for Tribal Employees

OKMULGEE, Okla. – In an effort to promote the highest standard of professional and ethical practices within the workplace, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation held its 2019 Ethics Training sessions for all MCN employees to attend on March 7, 2019, on the Tribal Complex in Okmulgee, Okla.

Three years ago, the Ethics Training was initiated by Principal Chief James R. Floyd to encourage an ethical work environment for employees, as well as provide a better understanding of the employees’ responsibility to matters, such as professional ethics, conduct, conflict of interest and more.

The training outlines the MCN Code of Ethics published in the Human Resources Policy and Procedure Manual, which lists the specific obligations MCN employees are to fulfill, such as to demonstrate the highest standards of conduct, personal integrity and honesty in the workplace.

This year, the MCN Human Resource Management Services invited three professionals to present during the training to their expertise and background in workplace and ethics investigations, as well as knowledge in working in Indian Country.

Between the two Ethics Training sessions, more than 500 employees attended the presentations given by the First Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Wilson of the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, Okla., as well as Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Tate Turnbo and FBI Special Agent Jeff Youngblood.

The Nation’s Acting Tribal Administrator Dean Hughes said this year’s training had a significant turnout and continues to grow each year with success.

“We were very pleased that it had a great turnout and we had a lot of interesting questions that occurred from the event,” Mr. Hughes said. “There was a lot of positive [comments] about the presentations and I feel that it continued to grow and get better and that there’s more interest in attending these events. So, we felt very pleased about the training this past week.”

For employees who were unable to attend either session, a video version of the Ethics Training will soon be available to access through Cuko, the internal employee resources website.

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