Native Americans Will Mourn Thanksgiving
New America Media, News Feature, Viji Sundaram, Posted: Nov 22, 2006
Editor's Note: To many Native Americans, Thanksgiving is a "Day of Mourning" that marks the genocide of thousands of Native Americans, the theft of Native lands and the assult on Native cultures. A few hundred Native Americans plan to gather along Plymouth shore to tell the stories of their ancestors. Viji Sundaram is the health editor for New America Media.
Today, while the aroma of stuffed turkey, apple pie, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce fills kitchens across the United States, a few hundred people will gather along the shores of Plymouth and observe what they call their "National Day of Mourning."
Massachusetts Gov. John Winthrop might have declared 1637 the first official day of Thanksgiving, but for many of the nearly 3 million Native Americans, it's a cruel reminder of the massacre that year of 700 Pequot men, women and children by the Puritans, who had arrived a few years earlier on the Mayflower and were warmly greeted by Native Americans with food. Later, the visitors were given land, taught to plow, sow and tend to their crops.
In declaring the day as Thanksgiving, Winthrop announced the day marks the sharing of the Pilgrims' first harvest with the Native Americans.
Not true, say the indigent people. It is the reminder of the genocide of thousands of Native Americans, the theft of Native lands and the relentless assault on Native culture, said Wampanoag Indian Moonanum James, co-leader of the United American Indians of New England.
"We are trying to correct a lot of history that says the Indians and Puritans sat together (in 1621) and rejoiced and feasted," James said.
He said that in 1970, his father, Frank James, was asked by Gov. Frank Sergent to write a speech commemorating the 350th anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims in Massachusetts. What the older James wrote, instead, was a censorship of the Pilgrims, accusing them of robbing American Indian graves, stealing from essential food caches and decimating the native population.
When the senior James refused a request by the governor's office to rewrite his speech, he was dropped from the program, prompting Native Americans to declare Thanksgiving a National Day of Mourning.
Since then, Moonanum James and hundreds of other Native Americans from across the country have been converging on Plymouth Harbor to let people know that Native Americans have nothing to be thankful for.
Chanting and beating drums, they will first hold a "speak out" on Coles Hill overlooking Plymouth Rock and tell of the atrocities they have been facing since the Pilgrims arrived.
They will also demand the release of Leonard Peltier, a former American Indian Movement activist convicted in 1977 for the 1975 deaths of two FBI agents at a shootout on a South Dakota reservation.
James said the National Day of Mourning will only cease "when history books accurately reflect" what the Puritans did to Native Americans, when fishing and hunting rights are restored to his people, when the 360 or so treaties made with them are fully observed and when "our people are allowed to rule ourselves."
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User Comments
John Jackson on Dec 29, 2006 at 08:38:48 said:
As a Canadian truck driver who does mostly U S long hauls, I never cease to be amazed at the huge amounts of ignorance and open bigotry shown by WASP America. A simple study of basic US and Canadian history will show the wanton, disgusting, savage behavior of our white ancestors as they plundered and stole and destroyed everything of the culture of those who were already here when they arrived. Until a sincere attempt is made to address these wrongs, (not just throwing welfare $$ and token B S),we will live in everlasting shame for the actions of our forebearers and the wrongful prejudices we carry on to this very day!!
Shira D. on Nov 27, 2006 at 20:26:13 said:
I have a Cheyenne friend who fasts each year on Thanksgiving in protest of both the gluttony of this day as well as the injustice done to Native Peoples, Africans brought over in the slave trade, and the homeless of all races to this day. While I am part Cherokee (1/4), I was not raised with the knowledge of my culture or language, and am still learning the many aspects of the argument for and against the Thanksgiving Holiday. I do know that when I have worn t-shirts favoring Food Bank donations rather than feasting, I have not been welcomed by friends. I enjoy a feast, but not at the expense of my conscience.
With Love, Shira
More information on the National Day of Mourning is also available at Wikipedia and Zmag:
zmagsite.zmag.org/Nov2006/munro1106.html
Chris Tuttle on Nov 23, 2006 at 10:34:35 said:
I wish I could have been there. The more I am learning the more disgusted I get. I am so tired of the lies and apathy.
ConcernedCitizen on Nov 22, 2006 at 22:49:43 said:
To all Native Americans - as a white person I apologize for the genocide and the destruction of your American soil and earth. I would like to learn much more about your individual cultures and explore ways we can work together to help you rebuild your nations so your future generations can thrive.
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