Members of the MOWA Indian tribe gathered in south Washington County for their annual Pow Wow, which is conducted on tribal land near McIntosh the third week of June each year. The event took place Friday and Saturday off of Red Foxx Road and featured dancing competitions for all ages. MOWA Choctaw Indians of South Alabama are a segment of the Choctaw Indians. Today, there are nearly 6,000 members of the MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians, more than 2,500 of whom live in the vicinity of McIntosh. Members of the MOWA band of Choctaw Indians gathered in McIntosh this past Friday and Saturday for their annual PowWow, which is conducted the third week of June each year.

The MOWA Choctaw Indians who moved away return to the original Pow-Wow site to visit family members, friends, and relatives. They celebrate the Indians' independence with dancing, feasting, contests and games.

The MOWA Choctaw Indians of South Alabama are a segment of the Choctaw Indians who refused to migrate from their homeland during the infamous removal known as the "Trail of Tears".

The MOWAs were duly incorporated in 1979 with its tribal office located in McIntosh and purchased 160 acres of land in south Washington County in 1983. There are five officers and fourteen members of the tribe's commission who voluntarily assist the operations of tribal affairs.

(SA photos by Bruce Hansen) Very little is known of the MOWA Indians be-tween the 1830's and 1890's; few records were kept. There were few nonIndians living in the Indian settlement until the late 19th century. After the enactment of the Trail of Tears, the President of the United States issued a decree declaring that the Indians, who in the past owned land, could homestead 40 acres on the condition they no longer speak their own language, practice their religion or call themselves a tribe. Afraid of being forced from their homes, the Indians settled in the most isolated locations because many people believed that "the only good Indian was a dead Indian".

Tribal organization has helped the MOWA Choctaw Indians move forward. After a century and a half of literal isolation, the MOWA Choctaw Indians came forth seeking, and getting, official recognition by the state of Alabama. They adopted the name "MOWA Choctaw Indians" to identify the Indians in Mobile and Washington counties who are descended from several Indian tribes: Choctaw, Creek, Cherokee, Mescalero and Apache.