The Real Thanksgiving
Like others, growing up, I always looked forward to the holidays. Thanksgiving was always a joy and Christmas was the greenest grass of them all. Holidays are supposed to serve as a time of love and family unity all in commemoration to what we have been told for years. I remember going to school for the first time and learning about Thanksgiving. I remember a portrait painted in my head of the pilgrims discovering the New World (Which was already occupied). Supposedly the Native American’s (Not Indians) broke bread with the pilgrims and even showed them how to live off the land. They even had a feast to show their approval of their new relationship.
What is Thanksgiving really, because the story didn’t go down like that. After researching the history and the Massacre of 1622 that nearly wiped out the Wampanoag tribe, I found other things that would seem to support no relationship between the pilgrims and Natives. During the “discovery” of the New World in 1620, The Native Americans went through the worst mental, social, and violent attacks. Everything from social engineering, to The Trail of Tears, to The Battle of Wounded Knee has left some of the most tremendous marks on this group of people. The first Thanksgiving officially happened the following year in 1621.
What I appreciate about Thanksgiving is the fact that this day brings people together. Be kind and show a little bit of love. It’s not so much about over eating. It’s about letting your guard down just a tad and feeding the soul. A lot of holidays are beginning to branch away from traditionalism more and more every year. Sticking to tradition is something that has always ruled with holiday culture. Giving thanks and graditude can’t be too bad. However, the fact that this day is started behind some bullshit bothers me.
The history of America since the day the Mayflower docked in Cape Cod, Massachusetts speaks for itself. The Pilgrims and Natives clearly were not friends. If they ever were at some point, that relationship was surely a smoke screen to greed and envy. I’m just calling it how I see it…
