The Muscogee Nation of Florida: A People of One Fire

 

The Muscogee Nation of Florida's Tribal 
Headquarters in Bruce, FL (photo courtesy
of Walton Outdoors)

The Muscogee ancestral homeland consists of what is now south Tennessee, Alabama, western Georgia, and parts of north Florida. A large majority of the Muscogee (often referred to as Creek) people were forcibly removed from these ancestral homelands by the federal government in the 1830s during the Trail of Tears. Today, descendants of those removed reside in Oklahoma, where native populations were relocated during this time. That being said, there is a vibrant and active traditional Muscogee community that exists in Florida today, which includes several different tribal communities. Today we are focusing on the Muscogee Nation of Florida and one of the projects that they are developing in a rural community in the Florida panhandle. Our goal here is not to tell you the story or history of the Muscogee, as they can most definitely tell that better than we can. Our goal is to introduce people to the Muscogee and discuss a valuable contribution they are making to a rural community that is often overlooked. 

The Muscogee people have become a staple part of their communities in North Florida. One project that has caught our attention is the Muscogee Farm project of the Muscogee Nation of Florida. The Muscogee Nation of Florida is headquartered in Bruce, Florida. They have endeavored to establish an agro-tourism business that will increase the self-sufficiency of the tribe and create additional employment opportunities for tribal members. It will provide a new source of locally sourced food for the community and create an income stream for the tribe. The farm’s plans include over seven acres of land surrounding their tribal headquarters, and encompass everything from hydroponics to aquaponics. There are also plans for  a U-pick blueberry orchard! The farm plans include an educational aspect as well, with a learning center, nature trails with interpretive signage about native plants, and other educational components. The tribe also envisions this farm becoming part of the

Trail of Florida’s Indian Heritage.

Flooding of the Muscogee Farm from Hurricane 
Sally. (photo courtesy of Muscogee Nation of 
Florida)

 Projects like this empower the Muscogee tribal members, but they also provide for their surrounding community as well and create educational opportunities for all. We often think of Native American communities as living in isolation, but this is a great example of a tribal community creating opportunity for their members, while providing a resource for their surrounding community as well. Unfortunately, this area has been battered by hurricanes for several years now. Most recently, Hurricane Sally hit the Bruce area and Muscogee Farms experienced extreme flooding and damage. This flooding killed numerous fruit trees and indeginous plants and wreaked havoc on their structures. We encourage you to please learn more about how you can help the Muscogee Nation of Florida recover from Hurricane Sally  and reach their goals. We hope that if you find yourself in or near Bruce that you will visit their farm and educational center as well, as the best way to learn about our Native American culture here in Florida is from the source itself!