A Legacy of Lies: Dismantling the Thanksgiving Narrative
A Legacy of Lies: Dismantling the Thanksgiving Narrative
The story of the “First Thanksgiving” is a myth built on settler-colonial lies. Common Thanksgiving imagery, which romanticizes the relationship between settlers and Indigenous nations, distorts the truth. The reality is that after receiving critical assistance from the Wampanoag people, the settlers committed repeated violations against them and other Indigenous nations.
Brief Timeline of Events
1620: English settlers arrive and establish a colony on Wampanoag land. After struggling to survive the winter, they receive crucial aid from the Wampanoag Nation.
1621: Settlers hold a harvest feast. The Wampanoag leader, Massasoit, arrives with 90-100 men to investigate the sound of gunfire. Only upon their arrival are the Wampanoag invited to join the gathering.
In the years that followed, the Wampanoag people endured numerous atrocities at the hands of European colonists, including land theft, exposure to deadly diseases, forced conversion to Christianity, and the desecration and looting of their graves.
1637: Pequot Massacre- Colonists attack the Pequot Nation, killing their defenders and setting fire to their village. Hundreds of Pequot people are burned alive. In celebration, Massachusetts Bay Governor John Winthrop declares a "day of thanksgiving," establishing a precedent for feasts following successful massacres.
1676: King Philip's War- A coalition of Indigenous nations, including the Wampanoag under Chief Metacomet (King Philip), the Nipmuck, Pocumtuck, and Narragansett, push back against colonial expansion and atrocities. Metacomet and several leaders are captured and murdered. Metacomet is beheaded and his body quartered. Many survivors are sold into slavery and sent to the Caribbean and other colonies.
1863: President Abraham Lincoln formally declares Thanksgiving a national holiday to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November, aiming to foster unity during the Civil War.
National Day of Mourning
The common Thanksgiving narrative erases the pain and harm inflicted on Indigenous communities. In an act of reclamation, a coalition of Indigenous activists, led by Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribal member Wamsutta Frank James, established the National Day of Mourning.
On this day, Indigenous communities acknowledge those lost to colonial violence and honor the survivors. It is a time to raise awareness of ongoing issues, such as the climate crisis and MMIWG2S, and to stand in solidarity with other exploited and oppressed groups.
Thanksgiving Dinner
For those who celebrate Thanksgiving, it's important to challenge colonial narratives. Center Indigenous voices by educating your guests about the true history of the holiday, support Indigenous causes through donations, and consider a plant-based meal.
Sources
https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/thanksgiving-day-mourning-many-indigenous-communities
https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/pequot-massacre/
https://mashpeewampanoagtribe-nsn.gov/timeline
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOCISNKFNEY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICFD7d3A_Ig&t=207s
https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/thanksgiving/timeline.html
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