More Than a Place, Alabama is Part of Who We Are
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Land sovereignty and the Poarch journey from hardship to hope
For hundreds of years, the Poarch Creek Indians have lived on and around the land that makes up our reservation in Poarch, Alabama, a place that has sustained us through hardship and carried us into a future filled with hope. As descendants of the original stewards of this land, we have worked tirelessly to sustain the pathway to self-determination and prosperity for the Poarch Creek people.
In November, we recognize Native American History Month and honor our journey from being a nearly forgotten people to being federally recognized in 1984, becoming the only Tribe in Alabama to hold this designation. This recognition wasn’t just a formality—it was a restoration of our right to control and govern our lands, protect our natural resources, and honor their cultural significance.
Illustration depicting early Creek village.
This Land is Our Traditional Homelands
For the Poarch Creek Indians, the land in Alabama has always been our traditional homelands. The land has always provided, as well as sustained us through struggles, and today, it is our duty to protect and preserve it for future generations. This land connects us to our ancestors and to our future generations. Our mission is simple: to care for this land as it has cared for us.
Part of this history is told in the Emmy-award winning documentary The Forgotten Creeks. More than two years in the making, it traces how our Tribe has evolved from being an impoverished, isolated community to the independent, self-sufficient Indian nation it is today. It also recalls the history of all the many Indigenous people who resided in Alabama, from Spanish contact in the 1500’s through the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The documentary explores what happened to those who remained settled in and around Poarch. These families who remained in Alabama following the Indian removal, eventually became known as the Poarch Creek Indians. The film documents those ensuing years of poverty, assimilation and discrimination that nearly destroyed our identity.
Before federal recognition, life for the Creek people East of the Mississippi was defined by faith, but tested by struggles. There was little work available in the area; the community was isolated, cut off from economic opportunity. To survive, Tribal men had to work as sharecroppers in other states where the crops were available, sometimes under exhausting conditions. The journey to these farms was long and difficult, but the men returned home when the harvest ended, bringing home the little they had earned.
Molly Presley, Elberta “Coot” McGhee, MC Morris, and unknown woman.
Meanwhile, at home, poverty forced us to rely on community gardens. Our people came together to ensure that everyone had food to eat. The land, once again, provided life. It was in these times of hardship that the importance of land sovereignty became crystal clear.
“For our people, taking care of the land is about keeping up the traditions our elders passed down. We’ve worked hard to protect what we have, not just for ourselves but for future generations,” remarked Tribal Council Member Keith Martin. “When you look after the land, it looks after you—and that’s something we believe in deeply.”
Ancestors of the Poarch Creek Indians lived in simple log houses and often worked as sharecroppers.
A Commitment to the Land and Our People
After Federal recognition, our leaders believed that securing economic opportunities for our people was key to survival. We needed to create living wages—not only for our people but for the broader community, with whom we traded and shared resources. Over the decades, we have worked to build a self-sustaining economy, and we have always done so with the land at the heart of our efforts.
Today, our relationship with the land continues to define who we are. Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve is one of our most treasured spaces, dedicated to maintaining the area’s natural beauty, as it was meant to be. Magnolia Branch is a place where Tribal and non-Tribal people can connect with the land in its purest form. We have made a conscious decision not to over-commercialize it, instead focusing on protecting it for future generations.
Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve, located in Atmore, AL.
Similarly, at Perdido River Farms, our commitment to ethical practices in cattle raising reflects our deep respect for the land and animals that sustain us, which are deep-rooted in farming and livestock traditions we’ve embraced for many generations. The new state-of-the-art meat processing facility, opening January 2025 in the Poarch community just outside of Atmore, will uphold these high standards, ensuring that our farming practices honor the balance of nature while providing for our community. Our work at Perdido River Farms is not just about agriculture—it’s about maintaining a connection to our ancestral way of life, where the land gives, and we care for it in return.
Martin goes on to say, “Whether it’s keeping our waterways clean or leaving as light a footprint as we can, we try to respect the land in everything we do. I want the next generation to understand that real connection doesn’t just come from a screen; it comes from working hard, getting your hands in the dirt, and being part of the land that supports us.”
Perdido River Farms, located in Atmore, AL. Photo courtesy of PCI.
The Future of Sovereignty
As we look toward the future, land sovereignty remains central to our mission as a Tribe. It is our right and responsibility to control our lands, our resources, and our cultural heritage. It’s not just about legal recognition; it’s about our identity, our survival, and our responsibility as stewards to care for our ancestral homelands.
Alabama is our home. It always has been, and it always will be.
To view the Forgotten Creeks documentary, click here.