S.E. RUCKMAN: A 'civilized' afternoon under the Creek Council Oak

It matters little to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation whether it was fair or not. They remember the signing of an 1832 treaty that removed them from their ancestral lands to new country in Indian Territory. The agreement outlined the way the old Creeks would leave their homelands in Alabama and Georgia to stay, farm and work in parts that would someday be symbolized on South Cheyenne Street in Tulsa, OK.

As far as treaties go, who’s to judge that all the iron provisions would turn out to be so pliable? Eventually tribal members would be allotted individual plots in lieu of their original jurisdiction that spanned eight modern counties.  The old-timers signed one treaty under the watchful arms of a Tulsa oak tree under fall sunlight on a day that was really not that long ago.

Their progeny met again this year at the 26th Annual Council Oak Ceremony.  I had been before, but this year it was a little different. If the land was like a favorite shirt, it had been washed, starched and ironed to look its best.  The adjoining Stickball Park was manicured and chairs were set out for the nearly 300 Creeks in attendance. The American and tribal flags were marched in by war veterans with white feathers floating from their berets.

I went with a full-blood Cherokee friend who was not unmoved by the events. He, too, came from a tribe that had a remarkable capacity for extreme endurance.  They call them the Five Civilized Tribes but I think there is not much civilized about the scrapping and fighting they had to go through. But it is that way with Anglos who are always branding things.

Before the Council Oak Ceremony began, one of the mekkos began to call out to all in earshot that the meeting was about to begin. I can’t say how it was but his call to order commanded attention.  It was not hard to imagine how wood stopped being chopped and hands wiped on aprons back in the day as a beckon like this echoed out 150 years ago. One could only imagine what the enclosing urban neighborhood thought. The thought tickled me.

Tribal princesses escorted us back in time by recounting the importance of what was called Turtle Meeting Place. The Muscogee (Creek) language, which boomed like thunder, punctuated much of the hour-long ceremony. Mekkos from the Muscogee (Creek) communities dotted the crowd.  Later they gathered for a group photo (I counted 16) while multiple cameras flashed.  Standing near their humble shadows, even I was aware their assembly was a big deal.

Tribal members were asked to think on the wunderkind Shawnee leader, Tecumseh, who had met with the Creeks in 1811(in Tuckabatchie, Alabama near the Tallapoosa River) to seek their allegiance in a pan-Indian resistance to Anglo settlement. He scolded the Creeks in an attempt to rally them. It was apparent that there were no hard feelings over the years because Tecumseh (one of Indian Country’s greatest leaders) was lauded here as a lion among men.

Before we left, tribal officials asked us all to make a big circle in the park. We were told to start a round of shaking hands until everyone had met. The emcee reminded attendees that not all would be here next year and even then the exact same people would likely not be present. He called to mind the fragility of the human circle which made it all the more powerful. Now I know what a politician feels like shaking hands with unmet people and smiling all the while.

Later, we were served dinner outside at the Tulsa Creek Indian Community Center. We waited in line for half an hour but the cooks had fixed plenty of fried side meat, chicken and dumplings, fried chicken, corn soup (we call it corn and meat in Western OK), sofke and fry bread for all.

A sudden and violent lightning storm rushed up and postponed a planned stomp dance.  I was disappointed, but even that seemed to be okay. It was as if the accompanying thunder spoke the approval of the old Creeks who appreciated being appreciated every now and then.