Happy Thanksgiving friends.
Each year, on this day, I have a ritual of remembering that I’d like to share with y’all.
Before the feasting and celebrating begins, I chose to acknowledge the indigenous peoples of this land — to remember and honor the brutal history that so many Americans chose to forget, and to bring witness and understanding to the very present and constant struggle for sovereignty. I spend some time studying and I spend some time offering prayer.
While there is some dispute about the origins of the “First Thanksgiving,” Americans commonly understand that sometime back in 1621 the Wampanoag Indians offered food to the poor, starving colonists. “This harvest meal has become a symbol of cooperation and interaction between English colonists and Native Americans,” as History.com would have it (a familiar tale).
The subsequent genocide of the Wampanoag and every other Native American tribe across our lands always gets left out of this happy little tale. This willingness to forget is something I’ve never understood about my culture.
In the United States, the ongoing struggle of the Native American people is not a part of our common cultural narrative, even among progressives. Can we put a stop to this trend? This is not about beating our chests in guilt-striken despair, but simply having the courage to look our cultural heritage square in the face.
Our celebrations of abundance have come at a horrible price. We need to integrate this reality into the fabric of our lives — our shared memories, our national policies, our calls to action, our prayers.
Wikipedia is no defacto authority on anything, but it’s got some great info and background on Native Americans in the United States. And, the “current status” portion of this article is quite illuminating.
Also, check out an older classic: Thanksgiving: A Native American View.
