WINDSOR, England – Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief David Hill and Chickasaw Governor Chris Anoatubby were received by King Charles III and Baroness Nicholson at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, July 15. Both Tribal leaders and Nicholson presented Charles with the book, “An Enduring Relationship.” The bound collection of historic papers, maps, and treaties now sits in the royal archives at Windsor.
Principal Chief Hill and Governor Anoatubby also presented Charles with handmade items, including a Muscogee insignia, plates, and Chickasaw leather pendants.
“An Enduring Relationship” details the first one hundred years of diplomacy, trade, and law between the British Crown and the Cherokee Nation, the Chickasaw Nation, the Choctaw Nation, the Iroquois Confederacy, and the MCN. The book contains scanned correspondence, contracts, treaty maps, letters and legal instruments from the British Library, the Middle Temple, and Lambeth Palace.
The research was initiated by Nicholson and former Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice Yvonne Kauger. In a press statement, Nicholson shared that the book will allow readers to examine the relationship between Britain and the Tribes in the years leading up to American independence in 1776.
“The Enduring Relationship Project underlines the importance of finding lost information about our shared history,” Nicholson said. “It is enabling the nations to restore their identity and culture and, by this wonderful meeting with The King, has allowed us all to recognise the historic relationship that was established 400 years ago between the British Crown and the American and Canadian tribal nations.”
In a statement provided to Mvskoke Media, Principal Chief Hill shared what the meeting means for the MCN and its diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom.
“I think our project with Baroness Nicholson, the ‘Enduring Relationship,’ being presented to the King in this meeting only strengthens and amplifies our work in the UK even more,” Principal Chief Hill said. “The more visibility and awareness we have of it, the better, and it doesn’t get much more visible than a ceremonial exchange with the King at Windsor Castle. To me, that’s the best part, that so many eyes will be drawn to this collection of diplomacy that have never seen it or been aware of it before. And we look to capture the moment and expand on the ties to our history there even more.”
This is not Principal Chief Hill’s first international trip this year. In January, Principal Chief Hill and Tribal leaders visited the University of Edinburgh in Scotland for an international repatriation. The remains of six ancestors were returned to the Nation from the university.
According to the Enduring Relationship Initiative website, the initiative will continue to identify and source original documents from over 50 Tribes who engaged in trade with Britain during the same time period.
