Building Rapport and the Foundation of Good Partnerships: The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Approach to Protecting Cultural Sites in Partnership with Department of Defense Components

Abstract

abstract:Certain actions should be taken to strengthen policy and regulations in order to improve relationship-building opportunities between Department of Defense (DoD) components and tribal nations. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation (MCN) Tribal Historic and Cultural Preservation Office’s approach is used to describe interactions with the Department of Defense, specifically the U.S. Army, to implement cultural property protection. There are opportunities within the existing tribal consultation policies to build foundational relationships with DoD components. This paper discusses two variations of tribal consultation conducted by Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and how they are useful, limited, or can be utilized for collaborative opportunities. By highlighting the exceptional work of MCN partners in our ancestral homelands, we seek to bring awareness and protection of Muscogee cultural sites.