The Creek IndiansLocation and Context Early English traders gave the Native Americans the name Creek because they usually built their villages on or near streams or rivers. If they still had their villages, they would include areas of northern Florida, eastern Louisiana and southern Tennessee. Most of the villages were located along the banks of the Coosa, Tallaposa, Flint, Ocmulgee, and Chattachoochee Rivers. The native word for the most powerful band of Creeks was "Muskogees." The Creek Native Americans were the most powerful and widespread tribe in the Southeastern cultural area. The Creeks were also thought to be long-lost ancestors of the mound builders. Villages "The chief of the Creek village or tribe was called an amirc, but he was not the absolute ruler." His job in the village involved making important decisions. Once a decision was made, many criers went out to announce it to the other Creek tribes. The Creeks were agricultural, but war-like. The number of Creeks at one time was 30,000. The villages were separated into two red and white. Red cities had warriors who launched raids far and wide for purposes of honor and revenge. The Red Creeks usually often held war dances to protect themselves in battle. In the white cities lived most of the peacemakers who kept track of alliances and sheltered refugees or the poor. White Creeks held ceremonies such as signing treaties or alliances. Each village had a town square in the center with seats where spectators could sit. The town square was used for ceremonies and games. Each village had a circular townhouse with clay walls and a cone-shaped bark roof about 25 feet high. This was a ceremonial lodge and was also used as a shelter for the homeless. Some town houses were smaller with a pitched bark roof only about 10 feet high. The most common house had a pitched bark roof with the roof about 7 feet high, was used for single families, held about four to five people. Each family had a summer house and a winter house, both of which were full of mud. The summer house was often used as a guest house for visiting visitors. They also owned their own semi-open barn and also had a chicken-like warehouse open on all four sides..