Isparhecher, a full-blood Mvskoke (Creek) and Principal Chief of the Creek, was born in Alabama in 1829. He died on December 22, 1902, in the Indian Territory (Oklahoma), and was buried outside his home of Okmulgee.
Isparhecher's mother and father, Yardeka Tustannugga and Kecharte, were full-blood Lower Creek Indian from the southeast region (Alabama). He was devout to the preservation of the Creek religion and skeptical of the settlers that made their home in the Chattahoochee Valley. His family was considered Creeks of wealth and owned a group of slaves to harvest and work the land. Like many young Creek in the south, Isparhecher became friends with the slave's children and bonds formed during his childhood.
During the Indian Removal Act,
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To regain their heritage, both Upper and Lower Creek once again embraced the name Mvskoke. On August 5, 1869, the Creek officially became two Creek tribes-Upper Creek became the Upper Mvskoke Tribe and the Lower Creek became Mvskoke-Estelusti Tribe (Creek-black freedmen). Isparhecher was acknowledged as a powerful leader among the Mvskoke-Estelusti-both as a military and religious leader. On December 20, 1869, Isparhecher became the first Principal Chief of the Mvskoke-Estelusti tribe. During the development of the newly established Mvskoke-Estelusti tribe, Mvskoke religion became the official religion of the …show more content…
There was little resistance from the Mvskoke to permanently divide from the freedmen. On July 31, 1884, freedmen became Estelusti Emvliketv (Freedmen Clan) and Mvskoke-Estelusti became Mvskoke. Despite war and discontent, Isparhecher maintained his freedmen relationships from childhood. Isparhecher believed in keeping the culture of his childhood friends preserved, but not at the cost of Creek purity. To honor childhood friends, Isparhecher generously offered ¼ of Mvskoke land (west region) to be under Freedmen ownership. This benevolent act would play out in Isparhecher's future success as a leader among the