WETUMPKA, Ala. (AP) — Once a thriving community and ceremonial site for the Muscogee people, Oce Vpofv, or Hickory Ground, in present-day Alabama is now home to the Wind Creek Casino and Hotel, sparking a legal battle between two tribal nations. While the Muscogee Nation claims the Poarch Band of Creek Indians excavated ancestral remains illegally to construct the casino, the Poarch Band asserts its own ties to the historic site and efforts to preserve it.
The Muscogee Nation has filed a lawsuit challenging the construction of the $246 million casino in the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The dispute highlights the lasting impact of colonization on tribal communities and the limitations of the U.S. legal system in addressing tribal grievances.
The Poarch Band, which acquired a portion of Hickory Ground in 1980, states that it worked to protect the site from commercial development and set aside acreage for preservation. However, the Muscogee Nation believes ancestral remains were removed during an excavation without their consent.
The disagreement has deepened the divide between the two tribal nations, with Muscogee citizens in Oklahoma feeling a profound sense of betrayal over the casino’s development on what was once their tribal capital. The fight over Hickory Ground has stirred resentment and tensions among tribal members, revealing long-standing cultural and political rifts.
As the legal battle continues, Congress may become involved, with the Poarch Band supporting legislation that would allow tribes to put land into trust for tribal use, while the Muscogee Nation and other tribes oppose the bill. The conflict over Hickory Ground underscores the complexities of tribal sovereignty and the challenges faced by indigenous communities in protecting their heritage against development.
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