Kialegee Tribal Town

Kialegee Tribal Town

Kialegee tribal flag
Regions with significant populations
United States ( Oklahoma)
Languages
English, Muscogee Creek
Religion
Protestantism (Indian Baptist), traditional tribal religion
Related ethnic groups
other Muscogee (Creek) peoples: Alabama, Coushatta, Miccosukee, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and Seminole

The Kialegee Tribal Town is a federally recognized Native American tribe in Oklahoma, as well as a traditional township within the former Muscogee Creek Confederacy in the American Southeast. Tribal members pride themselves on retaining their traditions and many still speak their traditional Muscogee language. The name "Kialegee" comes from the Muscogee word, eka-lache, meaning "head left."

The Kialegee Tribal Town is headquartered in Wetumka, Oklahoma. Of 700enrolled tribal members, 629 live within the state of Oklahoma. Its tribal jurisdictional area falls Creek County, Muskogee County, Tulsa County, County, Okmulgee County, Hughes, McIntosh, Okfuskee counties. The tribe's elected mekko or chief is Jeremiah Hobia, who succeeded Tiger Hobia. The mekko's term is for two years. Tiger Hobia succeeded Jennie Lillard.

Enrollment in the tribe required an individual to be full-blood Native American: half to full-blood Muscogee Creek and up to one-half Indian of any other tribe. Documentation for enrollment follows matrilineal descent. Any descendant of a female Kialegee tribal member is automatically eligible for tribal membership. Spouses of Kialegee tribal members may petition for membership. In special circumstances, any full-blood Indian may petition the tribe for enrollment as an "Adopted Member."

The Kialegee Tribal Town operates its own tribal courts. It has an environmental educational program for youth, the Kialegee Tribal Town's Environmental "Kub" Program.

Town members and visitors celebrate the annual Kialegee Nettv (Day), a gathering that celebrates the town's history and culture.

Kialegee emerged as an independent town from a larger Creek town, Tuckabatche, located along rivers in what is now Alabama. Kialegee in return produced two daughter towns, Hutchechuppa and Achinahutchee. Before removal, the Muscogee Confederacy included about 50 towns. As with the remainder of the Creek people, those of Kialegee had a matrilineal kinship system, with descent figured through the mother's line. Children are considered to be born into the mother's clan and receive their status from her and her people. It was an agrarian community. Women and children grew and processed a variety of crops, while men hunted for game.