Cher-O-Creek Intra Tribal Indians (State Tribe)

About

Cher-O-Creek Intra Tribal Indians

Imagine your family being told to pack up and leave everything you know behind. In the 1800s, that's exactly what happened to them in the Southeast. The U.S. government wanted their land and passed the Indian Removal Act, forcing them to move west.

But not everyone obeyed. Some families, especially from the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole), refused to leave their homes. They found clever ways to stay hidden:

• Melting into the woods: Some families disappeared into the mountains and forests, living off the land and blending in with nature.
• Marrying outsiders: Others mingled with white settlers and trappers, building families who hid their Native American heritage.
• Becoming "Black Dutch" or "Black Irish": In some cases, families even joined communities of freed slaves, pretending to be of European descent. This was risky, but it offered a way to escape detection.

Staying hidden meant sacrificing a lot. Many families stopped speaking their native languages, worried that their children would be caught. They never talked openly about their past, keeping their heritage shrouded in secrecy. It was a constant act of pretending, of fearing being discovered.

Why go through all that? These families risked everything to stay on their land, to preserve their connection to their home and their ancestors. They knew that giving up their heritage meant losing who they were.

This story shows the incredible resilience of the human spirit. It's a story of families fighting for their survival, their land, and their identity, even when faced with an overwhelming force. And it's a reminder that sometimes, the fight for freedom happens in the quietest corners, hidden from plain sight.

Here are some key points to remember:

• The Indian Removal Act forced many Native Americans to leave their homes in the Southeast.
• Some families managed to stay hidden by blending in with other communities, marrying outsiders, or even pretending to be of another race.
• This meant sacrificing their language, traditions, and openly talking about their heritage.
• These families fought to preserve their land and identity, even in the face of great danger.
• Click Picture Below to Access