In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, or the Battle of Tohopeka (“the Horseshoe” in Creek), on March 27, 2014 an estimated 300 citizens, descendants, distant relatives, and friends of Muscogee (Creek) Nation (MCN) arrived in Horseshoe Bend National Military Park in Daviston, Alabama. Many Muscogee people came by way of two commercial motor coaches from our nation’s capital in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Others, like me, flew into surrounding airports, then drove rental cars another hour or so. Indeed, Muscogees gathered together from Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, New York, and California. Public relations manager of MCN, Edwin Marshall, remarked that this was "the largest collective movement of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation since removal."

Why did we come? Along the way, each of us expressed the overwhelming need we felt to pay homage to our ancestors who had died opposing the further encroachment of white settlers into Creek Territory. We came to honor the 857 Red Sticks who fought and died to protect and preserve our traditional way of life against the constant encroachment of American culture and incorporation. We came to pay tribute to our Muscogee warriors and the untold numbers of Muscogee women and children whose bodies were left to decay in the fields under the orders of Andrew Jackson.

The commemoration began midmorning at 10:30, around the same time that Jackson and his 3,000 soldiers attacked the fortified village all those years ago. To begin the event, the Native Praise Choir made up of only MCN citizens sang a Creek hymnal.

It was an emotional return to the land of our ancestors. Speaking in our language, Edwin Marshall gave a traditional “long talk” as he carried a red stick, which you can watch here. The war cries delivered by different leaders and members of our ceremonial grounds at the end of his talk greatly moved me and many others.