By: Shayln Proctor/Reporter
OKMULGEE, Okla.- Joshua Wind is the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s Committee Specialist for the Community Research and Development department. He recently provided announcements on his latest appearance on Mvskoke radio on May 24.
Wind provides the community calendar for the tribe. His announcements come from the 24 communities within the reservation.
“Open events are for everyone to come and have fun, fundraisers, communities who want to do more projects for their citizens within their boundaries,” Wind said.
These communities provide events that include all ages, allowing everyone to join in on the fun.
Holdenville Indian Community hosted Majestic Championship Wrestling. This event involves professional wrestlers that perform.
“They’re going to be using most of the Muscogee reservation as their summer tour of the rez shows. They are starting at Holdenville, they’re going to Wetumka then they’ll be coming out to Wilson in July. We’ll end it all back in Wetumka in September,” Wind Said.
There is going to be a second annual “Gathering of Communities” on Sept. 9. They are going to do the Super Chief Wiffle Ball Classic again between the Muscogee (Creek) Nations board and council members. It will also feature live music. However, there are still details being worked out that will add more to the event.
For the first time this year the FC Tulsa professional soccer team is going to have an Indigenous night. They will be contacting Wind for the web link to provide Muscogee (Creek) citizens with discount prices.
Another ongoing event that has sprung up recently is the Okmulgee Indian Community’s exercise program. They have walking classes that are held on Mondays and Wednesdays. According to Wind, it will go on throughout the summer.
The Wilson Community in Okmulgee County also started an exercise class. Those classes now meet on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
“They have an activity gym that they’re able to use and that’s what we’ve been using. They have a basketball court out there as well. So we are able to use that for anyone that wants to use it,” Wind said.
Wind has spoken about what he has noticed within the communities. He noted that the rural communities are becoming more active.
“I think they’re starting to get more young ones to be active out there as well. I think that’s a good hit, that’s a good helpful thing,” Wind said. “I think we’re starting to become equal among all the communities.”
The Yardeka Indian Community is still working on stretching their boundaries, according to Wind, but they have expanded within the past year. During Halloween they had approximately 150 people come out to enjoy the fun festivities.
Out of all the Mvskoke communities, 18 out of the 24 did some sort of event for the public last October.
“The best part I think was when this all started was in October when everything started building up,” Wind said.
“We still strive off the town, the tribal towns from the old days, that’s why I think we are still the backbone,” Wind said. “We still make things happen without having to go all the way up to the top.”
These different communities are not just for the Mvskoke citizens that live within the community boundaries. Members are welcome to participate in whichever community they please.
“They’ll meet new people in the area, meet the board members and meet the elders. Take care of the elders, we can learn a lot from our elders when we go to the community centers,” Wind said.
For those who do not know which community boundary they reside in, they can reach Wind at 918-732-7964 for more information.
To contact Joshua Wind about the community base you can email him at jwind@muscogeenation.com. There, community members can send information about an event or provide a flyer with event details.
There’s no qualifications other than being a Mvskoke (Creek) citizen and that you are within that community’s boundaries.