GRANTS, NEW MEXICO -- Many Americans look forward to the third Thursday in November, known as Thanksgiving Day. It’s a day to gather with loved ones, enjoy a feast, and remember reasons to be thankful. But there are different versions as to the origin of this holiday.
There are also states and small towns that live close to a Native American tribe; for those people, the meaning of this day has a deeper meaning. Because of their neighbors and friends, they give honest consideration to the meaning of Thanksgiving and its true history because it involves people to whom we should be grateful.
In 2016 Teen Vogue interviewed six Native American teenage girls “on the real history of Thanksgiving.” 6 Native American girls school us on the real history of Thanksgiving” Their interview began with the statement that growing up, they knew the stories they were told in school about the origin of Thanksgiving weren’t true.
The story they believe is true is this - “the true story behind Thanksgiving was after every killing of a whole village these European settlers celebrated it and they called it Thanksgiving. When Abraham Lincoln became president, it became an official holiday. He ordered 38 Dakota men to be hung for war crimes after the sacred holiday Christmas.” (Native American Girls Describe the REAL History Behind Thanksgiving | Teen Vogue) “We take this time to remember our elders who lost their lives due to what really happened. Usually, my mom makes a Native American dish for us and we pray. Growing up, I would be kind of annoyed that they didn't know what actually happened on Thanksgiving, and that they're actually celebrating the deaths of many people. And many tribes that were lost. Whether it's to give thanks or to be with your family you should learn how the holiday was established in the first place.”.”
“I'm thankful to be indigenous. resilient and alive. I'm thankful for us all to be able to stand together, stand strong, and stand as one Happy Thanksgiving America.”
It seems these are not the only details, or views, not taught, or remembered. The Encyclopedia Britannica has published a more in-depth history of the first European settlers. It is available on YouTube.com, “On This Day: Thanksgiving.” Here are only a few highlights from this copyrighted program.
“The story that’s taught in most primary schools is a short and sweet tale of peace between early pilgrims and the Wampanoag Tribe.”
When the Separatists, whom we have named Pilgrims, landed at Cape Cod, which we refer to as Plymouth Rock, to escape persecution, they lacked the skills and equipment for survival in this new territory. They eventually were introduced to a generous, kind Tisquantum of the Pawtuxet people in 1621. He was able to educate the settlers and serve as a translator because he had been kidnapped and sent to Europe where he learned English. When he was able to return home, there was no home as he remembered it. His people had been wiped out by disease in 1616, and New Plymouth was built on top of where it had been.
The existing tribes, Wampanoag, Abenaki, and others, did not have a peaceful coexistence. A “peace deal” was made between Someset, Wampanoag Chief Massasoit, and the settlers “for mutual protection from surrounding enemies.”
According to ”Encyclopedia Britannica” the first Thanksgiving was a “bountiful feast”, the result of Squanto’s generous guidance in farming and hunting techniques. The Wampanoag tribe also contributed many of their own deer they had caught.
This is not where the story ends. You are encouraged to listen to the complete podcast. But history proves that if it were not for the generosity of certain Natives we would not enjoy family gatherings, facestuffing feasts, a day of football, Macy’s Parade, or Black Friday.
A day of gratitude.