Contact us at: whispernthunder1@gmail.comThanks-Giving
~ Debby Ball
Thanks-Giving
It is a relatively safe assumption that most
people, anywhere and from almost any
cultural perspective, would agree that giving
thanks is a good, worthwhile and beneficial
thing to do. Some even suggest that living
with an "attitude of gratitude" is a practice that
we all should endeavor toward and one that could greatly improve our lives. The problem isn't the value of giving thanks, the problem is the inaccurate historical reference and the subsequent deliverance of the accounting as "fact" of the rise of the "first traditional" Thanksgiving. I have known for a long time that the perspective we have held close for so many generations for Thanksgiving is inaccurate. I decided to explore a little deeper and gain a better understanding of events that actually took place and how we have come to hold this day with such celebratory fervor for a time in history that was anything but celebratory for entire Nations that called this land home long before the first Puritans, and other settlers, that lay claim to fame for this one day each year, ever set foot here.
So what is the "truth"?
How and from where did the "first" Thanksgiving come to be? Most of us grew up spoon-fed, thanks to schools, tv and yearly traditions… the image of a group of weary, persecuted and loving (and benign) settlers who simply needed a little help from the local natives to survive the harsh New England winter. It generally was not taught in schools that these settlers, who were ill-prepared for the harsh winters, had suffered great illness and death, and were facing starvation (yes that part was taught), often took to raiding and stealing their neighbors food, and killing those that got in their way. Although their neighbors, the Wampanoag, could have retaliated and easily wiped the settlers out, they instead shared their supplies, and taught them agricultural techniques better suited for the climate. Even with this help from the Wampanoags, the settlers chose to deal harshly, unfairly and very deceptively with the Wampanoags, and neighboring tribes for several years. The settlers imprisoned, killed or enslaved those that came near.They pitted neighboring tribes against each other, committing horrific acts against one tribe and deceptively staging it to look like it was done by another tribe. Bounties were offered on the scalps of men, women and children. The tribes grew angry and the settlers were steadfastly developing enemies among the tribes. The settlers chose to enter into an alliance with the Wampanoags. "There was a 'feast' of sorts held then, but only for the negotiating of the treaty, and the Wampanoags brought all of the food."(1) Still, this was not the actual start of "Thanksgiving”. There's more.
"When studying history, it is important to remember that official 'histories' are written by the victors, and will always show them in the best light." (2)
Many tribes have feasts to honor or celebrate their harvests. One of these was that of the Pequots’ Green Corn Feast, typically held in mid-October. During this feast, families would gather and celebrate the harvests, as well as an opportunity to visit one another in the longhouse. In 1637, during a gathering of over 700 men women and children for Green Corn, English and Dutch settlers snuck up on the longhouse as the Pequot slept inside, and set fire to it. Those that tried to escape the fire were murdered by the English and Dutch who were waiting outside. Following this horrific act, a short time later, the settlers held a feast to "celebrate" their victory: the brutal murder of men, women, children and the elderly in their sleep. It was years later that an official celebration was declared, to combine into one, the many celebratory feasts that were scattered throughout. In the years that followed, the Thanksgiving myth was borne, thanks in part to Sarah Josepha Hale, "The modern story of Thanksgiving is mostly the work of editor Sarah Josepha Hale, author of the nursery rhyme “Mary Had A Little Lamb”. The country was being ravaged by the (un) Civil War, and she thought the country needed a unifying identity. She published countless editorials with the mythical story of the first Thanksgiving that is taught to children today..." (3) Finally, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln, declared a it legal holiday. "Later Abraham Lincoln decreed Thanksgiving Day to be a legal national holiday during the Civil War -- on the same day he ordered troops to march against the starving Sioux in Minnesota." (4)
So, there it is.....
This was not what I was taught in school. Should we give thanks? Yes, I believe we should, every day, not just one, as part of practicing gratitude. But we should also know the historical truth and seek to learn from the past. We should seek to glean a greater awareness of the injustices that were perpetrated on entire populations and the truthful reasons behind those wrong-doings. We should learn to embrace all cultures and acknowledge the terrible experiences rather than deny the truth by rewriting history to suit ignoble ends. Will I celebrate Thanksgiving? I will likely join friends and family on that day, and other days as well, and offer thanks. But I will not engage in activity or discourse that continues to perpetuate an untruth that minimizes or glamorizes a passage in time that caused serious injury to those who lost their lives, their lands that were stolen, and those that fell to genocidal practice and cultural assimilation. I will celebrate the resilience of the human spirit, of cultural identity, of rich and long-standing traditions that goes back to the ancestors. And I will speak the truth to those who will listen. May you find much in life to give thanks for, as I give thanks for the healing and the honoring of all cultures, spiritualties and beliefs.
REFERENCES
(1) (2) (3) http://www.hidingthetruth.com/articles/the-truth-about-thanksgiving.html
(4) http://www.manataka.org/page269.html