Native American History -- The Five Civilized Tribes

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The Five Civilized Tribes:

• Creek (Muskogee Creek)
• Cherokee
• Chickasaw
• Choctaw
• Seminole

Creek (Muskogee Creek): huge territory -- stretching across northern Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, all the way up to Tennessee -- along the creeks

• geo: southeast US;
• language: Muskogean; official languages: Muscogee, Yuchi, Matchez, Alabama, Koasati
• original homeland: the banks of the Alabama, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Flint, Ocmulgee, and Chattachoochee rivers (Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee)
• matrilineal; belonged to clan of their mother; mother/father had to be from different clans
• Muscogee Nation: largest of the federally recognized Muscogee tribes
• Algonquian-speaking Shawnee and Yuchi are also enrolled in the Muscogee Nation, although historically, the latter two groups were from different language families and cultures than the Muscogee

Cherokee: also, a large area, but farther north and stretching close to eastern seaboard

• one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands
• in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern North Caroline, southeastern Tennessee, southwestern Virginia, edges of western South Carolina, northern Georgia and northeastern Alabama
• language: part of the Iroquoian language group
• debate over timing / location of Iroquoian split
• Great Lakes region: one tribe migrated to the southeast in "ancient times"
• Appalachian region: split between Northern and Southern Iroquoian languages began 4,000 years ago
• today: three tribes federally recognized: two in Oklahoma; one in North Carolina

Chickasaw: north like the Cherokee to Tennessee and Kentucky but to the west

• one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands
• traditional territory: northern Mississippi, northwestern/northern Alabama, western Tennessee, southwestern Kentucky
• language: classified as a member of the Muskogean language
• migration story, having moved from a land west of the Mississippi River
• closely "related" to the Choctaw; share a common history

Choctaw: easy -- Alabama and Mississippi -- probably the southern half leaving the northern half to their close relatives, the Chickasaw

• one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands
• traditional territory: Alabama and Mississippi
• today: three tribes federally recognized: one in Oklahoma (third largest tribe in the US); one in Louisiana; one in Mississippi (the only federally recognized tribe in Mississippi)
• their mother-mound is Nanih Waiya, a great earthwork platform mound located in central-east Mississippi
• since the 17th century, the Choctaw and Chickasaw have venerated Nanih Waiya as their sacred origin location of Nanih Waiya: Winston County, Mississippi; nearest city: Noxapater, MS

As I go through this history, I almost get/got a bit teary-eyed. It might have been easier had I had a better education in elementary / middle school on this entire period in American history. I don't know. It's really touch, emotionally to go through this. 

I have no "real" connection with Norway, but yet I feel a strong Norwegian heritage, and everything suggests Native Americans have an even stronger emotional pull to their heritage. It would be hard for me if I were a Native American Cherokee living in Oklahoma not want to spend long periods exploring my heritage in the southeast woodlands.