Mission Statement

The Cultural Resources Extension Office serves Miami Tribal citizens in the ancestral homelands by promoting myaamia history, language, culture, and traditions, thereby strengthening community development and tribal sovereignty.

CREO Purpose and History

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma recognized the need to provide cultural programming to tribal citizens within the original homelands. The Cultural Resources Extension Office (CREO) was established in 2015 by purchasing a 10-acre property on Trentmann Road in Fort Wayne. The purpose of the CREO was to provide tribal members living in the lower Great Lakes region an opportunity to reconnect with their myaamia history, language, and culture. Within six years, the property could no longer support the growing cultural needs of the local myaamiaki community. Tribal leadership moved to sell the Trentmann property and began searching to find a new home for the CREO. An amazing property fitting, the needs of the Tribe, was purchased in fall of 2021. Located northwest of Fort Wayne on Fritz Road, peehkahkionki 'beautiful place' is a 45-acre property which includes a 3.5-acre pond with 13 acres of woods. 

Cultural Programming 

The Cultural Resources Extension Office (CREO) in Kiihkayonki 'Fort Wayne, IN' supports the efforts of the eemawiciki cultural education office. The CREO works with the eemawiciki cultural education office and the Myaamia Center at Miami University to bring cultural learning opportunities to the myaamiaki living in the Lower Great Lakes region.

The CREO staff promotes cultural knowledge in the community through activities such as hikes, stomp dancing, winter storytelling, cooking, lacrosse, and workshops.