Leader of the Yamacraw
By Lindsay Esterline
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Tomochichi (toh moh CHEE chee) lived most of his life among the
Creek
people in what is now
Georgia. In about 1728, Tomochichi created his own tribe, the
Yamacraws, from a group of Creek and Yamasee Indians after the two nations disagreed on how to handle
trade with settlers
. His group of about 200 people settled on the bluffs of the Savannah River. They
called their village Yamacraw Bluff .
A tribe is a group of people that share the same way of life.

Tomochichi was nearly 90 years old when he became the micro, or chief, of the Yamacraw people. He was chosen to be leader because he had become known as an
honest
and
skilled
trader. When, in 1733,
Back then Oglethorpe asked for some
James
Oglethorpe
came and asked
land for a new settlement. If we need
for some land near the Yamacraw village for a
settlement , Tomochichi
welcomed them.

Tomochichi thought that trade with the settlers would be good for his people. At a meeting, Tomochichi gave Oglethorpe two gifts. He gave him an eagle feather, which
stood for peace, and a bison hide with an
eagle painted on it. Because Tomochichi did not speak English, and Oglethorpe did
not speak the Creek language, Mary
Musgrove translated the meeting for
them. The two leaders agreed to treat each other fairly.

Tomochichi also met with all the Creek leaders in Georgia. He wanted to make sure that there would be peace with the new settlers. He told them about his agreement with Oglethorpe. In 1734,
Oglethorpe invited Tomochichi to
England
. Tomochichi wanted to make sure the English treated his people fairly so he, his wife, and nephew, Toonahowi
(too nah HAW ee) made the long trip. As a symbol of peace, they gave three eagle feathers to
King George II
. To show
respect
, the king gave Toonahowi a gold watch.

Tomochichi thought it was important to learn the language of the settlers. After they returned home from England, he asked
English settlers to help him start a school for Yamacraw children. The school opened in 1736. Tomochichi died on October 5, 1739, but he will always be remembered for his help
in found ing Georgia, and keeping
peace between the Creek,
Yamacraw, and the English settlers.
Memorial rock

Creek villages were built around main squares where people held meetings and played games. In the summer, the houses had no walls to stay cool. In the winter, houses had walls made from clay and wood. The roofs of both houses would be mad of grass or bark.
In Creek villages everyone helped gather food from the community gardens. The women grew the crops such as corn, beans, and squash. The men hunted deer, turkeys, rabbits and caught fish in the rivers.
The Creek used deerskin for clothing. Deerskin is soft, warm, and doesn’t tear easily. After trade with the
English, they began to wear brightly colored fabrics and beads.
When a village grew to have too many people, some of those people would move and create a new village.
More about Creek Indians
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Trade—to exchange for something else
Traded by the
Creek
Deerskin
Traded by the
English
Metal tools/pots
Food
Cloth
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Bluff—a cliff, or hill with a broad, steep face
Savannah

Honest—truthful and fair
Skilled—having skills; expert
Settlement—a community started by people from another land
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Mary Musgrove owned a trading post in the area and she spoke both
English and Creek languages. She
translated for them.
Interpreter/translator—a person that explains words from one language in another language
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Bison hide—the skin of a bison
Bison—a large animal with short horns and shaggy mane
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Georgia
King George II
George Augustus
King of England from
1727-1760.
Respect—to honor or esteem
England

Found—to start something such as a state, city, or school. For example:
Tomochichi founded the school for
Yamacraw children to learn English.
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