POWERGRAMS

29 are still living on our tribal lands and that we are a sovereign Indian nation that is self-sufficient," says Bryan. "In so many ways, who we are now is evidence to what we have come from." The exhibit narratives note that the British gave Creeks their anglicized name because the invading soldiers always saw the Native Indians near water. The original Indian name was Muskogee, which means "the people down South." Whatever they were called, Poarch, Creeks, Chickasaws, Cherokees and other first inhabitants of America often found themselves stuck between French, English and Spanish settlers, all of whom wanted what the Native Americans had, and eventually U.S. civilians and military forces added to the toxic adversarial mix. Noting the "incredible odds" faced by the Creeks, a museum audio tells of the "amazing journey, the amazing story to be told" of how they overcame it all through a combination of community-reinforcing rituals, like the stomp dance, and finally into the 1900s forced their way into America's court system to win civil rights legal battles. The Creek Indian nation once spanned 400 miles wide, with at least 100 towns and 20,000 or more people, being the most powerful human force in the Southeast. They carved canoes from cypress trees and created the first interstate highway system by using waterways that often today carry Creek names. Nature provided food, medicine, tools, clothing and shelter that sustained generations of people. Some 60 small tribes formed the Creek Confederacy, covering 60,000 square miles. They were widely known for their hospitality and civility prior to war with the European invaders. "Our ancestors had thriving Indian villages, and they were known as the 'friendly Creeks,'" Bryan says. "Centuries later, we are still committing great resources to ensuring that the communities where we live and work are healthy and economically viable, and we endeavor to being good neighbors who help others in times of need. These are qualities that were passed down through generations of Poarch Creek Indian families, and while the world has radically changed over the centuries, I believe our ancestors would recognize and appreciate that they continue to have a deep and abiding influence on who we are as a people today." Gift shop clerk Blake Crook welcomes visitors from around the world. He's seen busloads of local students arrive alongside random guests dropping in from abroad. He says the mission today, and every day, is to let each person leave the museum knowing more about Native Americans. WIND CREEK CASINO AND HOTEL Few landmarks are as recognizable on the main road to the Gulf Coast as the 17-story Wind Creek Hotel, rising high above the otherwise flat land of south Alabama. Since 2009, the 236-room, three-star, four- diamond luxury lodge and casino has helped pull 10,000 cars a day off the interstate for an hour, weekend or family vacation. Some may recall when Atmore's claim to fame was a "bingo palace" just off the highway. Now more than a million people each year are enticed to the original Poarch Indian contemporary entertainment center that has spawned two other Wind Creeks in Alabama, plus four locations in the U.S. and abroad. The meticulously maintained Atmore facility remains perhaps the cream of the Wind Creek crop, featuring a huge pool surrounded by picturesque lagoons and concert amphitheater, spa, cooking studio, 16-lane Brunswick bowling alley, eight-screen movie theater, arcade, conference center and RV park. A Starbucks opening this summer outside the parking lot is the only one between Montgomery and Mobile in Alabama. Many visitors come only for the casino boasting more than 1,600 gambling machines. Since the pandemic, smoking is not allowed inside, social distancing is sought and masks are required for employees as well as guests who are not fully vaccinated, yet the safety measures don't diminish the mesmerizing scene within the 57,000-square-foot facility. Orange and yellow square and rectangle lights blink 20 feet above the brightly carpeted floor. Every few minutes, bells ring and red lights blink Exhibits detail the history of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The Building of Learning is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday at no charge.

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