Every year, on the last week of November, America celebrates Thanksgiving. This holiday commemorates the beginning of the colonization of America and its people, and we celebrate by eating a myriad of foods such as turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables, pie, and more.
A very important component of Thanksgiving, in addition to the food, is family. Every year, millions travel for hours by car or plane to meet with their family for their annual visit to catch up.
Americans and non-Americans alike have picked up this holiday as a time to spend together and eat enjoyable food. However, many are worried that the true sentiment behind this holiday has been lost.
So, let’s review: what is Thanksgiving really celebrating? The first Thanksgiving was in the autumn of 1621. This was prompted by the Mayflower bringing settlers from England to the land they colonized, now Plymouth, Massachusetts. A year after they arrived in 1620, after their first successful harvest, the Pilgrims held a three-day feast attended by 90 members of the Wampanoag tribe and the 52 remaining colonists.
The Wampanoag and the Pilgrims became connected through a mutual agreement upon the Pilgrims’ arrival. Once the Mayflower arrived in Massachusetts they decided to settle in a vacant lot of land previously inhabited by the Wampanoag. Its vacancy was due to diseases spread by European sailors a few years prior.
About four months after their settling, an English-speaking Native American named Samoset entered the Plymouth colony and introduced himself. He spoke with them all night and arranged a meeting with the tribe chief, Massasoit. Thus, a relationship was formed. The Pilgrims were promised help in surviving, and the Wampanoag were promised help in warding off rival tribes.
Concerning the celebration of the first harvest, there is no record of the Wampanoag being formally invited. Though it is inconclusive, there is speculation that the Wampanoag heard the gunshots fired by the Pilgrims and sat down to eat with them upon their arrival to investigate.
However, this dinner was the kickstart of American colonization. In the years that followed, Native Americans were forced off their land and into slavery. Native American children were forced into boarding schools where they were taught to abide by Christian beliefs and were forbidden to speak their native language.
Today, Native Americans take Thanksgiving as a day to grieve those we lost and the diminished culture. This year, as you celebrate, be mindful of the origins of this 400-year-old holiday and celebrate those responsible for the first successful harvest—the Wampanoag.
Sources:
