Since I learned that I will never be able to think of Thanksgiving the same way. I learned this from a children’s book called “1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving” which tells the historically accurate version of the impromptu feast celebrating a sucessful hunting trip on which we model our current celebrations.
Turns out, actually, that the original Thanksgiving feast with the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag nation was not in November of 1621. More accurately, that communal celebration was held around August or September–the traditional time of harvest for northern latitudes. In that case, if Americans want to honor that celebration, it would be more appropriate for them to celebrate the harvest at the traditional harvest celebration known as Mabon.
However, it is still troubling to observe a celebration that turned into 3 centuries of heartache for one of the parties. Within 17 years of the harvest feast between the settlers of the Mayflower and the Wampanoag tribe, relations deteriorated to such an extent that the Wampanoag lost their political independence and much of their homeland. By 1676, their chief had been killed and his son and many other Natives were sold into slavery. Today, the Thanksgiving holiday is a reminder of bloodshed and betrayal, which is why each year they gather around the statue of their fallen chief and hold a vigil in the memory of their ancestor’s struggles and the loss of their land.
The day of Thanksgiving was set by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 when he declared two Thanksgivings that year: one commemorating the Battle of Gettysberh and the other in November, a national day of thanksgiving for all blessings in general. The feast shared between the Mayflower settlers and the Wampanoag people was then conflated as a precedent and became the model for our modern celebrations.
It is still valid to observe a day of Thanksgiving the way that President Lincoln intended. Just as we recognize the praiseworthiness of President Obama’s National Day of Service, we can recognize that a national day of thanksgiving instituted by a U.S. president 150 years ago. At the same time, the heartache of the native peoples cannot be ignored. Our celebrations, once we have gained the awareness, will be changed by that knowledge.
This year, and I hope each year after, part of my Thanksgiving observance will be a memorial for the unjust wars, genocides and violence committed against various groups by imperialism and patriarchy. For me, Thanksgiving will become a day of awareness of bigotry and intolerance wherever it exists, a somber day or memoriam for the genocides that have been and continue to be throughout the world. Because of the heaviness of that realization, and how it overshadows a day of thanksgiving, I’m really feeling the need for transmuting thanksgiving to the autumnal equinox.
The historical account of European settlers taking over Native American lands in Massachusetts is an isolated example of injustices that have occurred throughout time. Where is the day that remembers all of it together? The Holocaust, the Crusades, the Trail of Tears, Tiananmen Square, the Cambodian killing fields, Darfur, Rwanda, the desaparecidos of South America, the September 11th attacks, international sex trafficking, and the millions of girls who are aborted or left to die because they were born female are all stories that fill our history and our current events with the sobering realization that all is not well with the world.
In Mother Wove the Morning (p. 22), Carol Lynn Pearson chronicles what it means to be female in some parts of the world: “The historical preference for males over females has left an amazing disparity in the statistics of a recently completed census in developing countries. Sixty million women are missing — because of female infanticide, selective abortion, little girls not being given the same food or medical treatment as their brothers. And the estimate is worldwide — more than one hundred million gone because they were born or about to be born female. Well, we are still rightly horrified that just decades ago six million were killed because they were Jewish. What can our minds even do with these numbers?”
The monument at the gates of Dachau, the former Holocaust concentration camp
We could join with the people of Dachau in saying “Never Again” to the injustices perpetuated throughout the world. By never forgetting what has happened and by being aware of what is happening, we can be apart of doing what we can to stand against injustice, to mourn with those who mourn and as a member of our global community insist to leaders everywhere they that too stop the atrocities that are occurring in their jurisdictions.
In order to accomplish these goals, we start small. A day of awareness, even just an evening, an hour or a minute, is a good place to start. This November 24, consider taking a minute to share in the vigil of the Wampanoag tribe. Light a candle and say a prayer for the people of the world.
Other ideas to observe the American Thanksgiving as a Day of Genocide Awareness:
- Place a candle in your window sill in remembrance.
- After your Thanksgiving meal, take a walk through your neighborhood with family and friends while carrying lit candles.
- Instead of a large feast, prepare a simple meal to share with family and friends and donate the remainder of what you would have spent to a any number of organizations that are working on human rights issues.
- Each year, choose an organization or effort to which you can donate or volunteer around the Thanksgiving holiday. Invite children, family and friends to join with you in these efforts.
- Organize a vigil in your community or neighborhood during the week of Thanksgiving.
- Blog, tweet and facebook about the true story of Thanksgiving and what you do to remember societal injustice.
- Instead of Black Friday deals at major retailers, shop local and free trade to ensure that your purchases are not produced by exploitation of laborers, or check out the WAVE Holiday Shopping Guide for online shopping options.
Okay, I do not know where to put this. I am very sorry for thread-jacking. I hope I do not cross any boundries when I say this (but I acknowledge that I probably am). I have been thinking alot of the Temple, since I am going to go and get my endowment on Tuesday. In the Temple there is this practice that has been seen as downgrading by most feminist women. There are some however that have looked at this as an empowering, liberating thing. This practice is that of Veiling of the face with a sheer viel. I was thinking of this, and came across the article from Times and Seasons, that gives a different interpretation of the Pauline statements (weather from Paul himself or attributed to him by early translators of the Bible that is left up to argument). This interpretation is that Veiling of a woman’s face to commune with God, is a sign that she is denying her head the Man and going directly to God. This seems all very sexist, to a very, very, large degree it is.
I wanted to put this under the CALLS TO ACTION but I couldn’t really find a way to do it (maybe if this site got a forum format that would be better), So here is my CALL TO ACTION.
Wear the viel in Church, at home, and anywhere that Spiritual matters come into play. You do not have to wear the viel all the time, though it would be an interesting conversation with others as to why you do so. Make sure this viel is white (Not a wedding viel or even the Temple veil mind you, but just a clear plain unfeminine as possible viel). Make sure you make it clear that the very reason you wear this viel is that it is a sign as Paul said, “To cover her head with power”, and that you are showing you are autonomous and powerful from your patriarch-husband. Use words similar to this, but enough to make the man asking you the question to think.
WARNING: This may lead to a Council of Love/Disciplinary council. Heavily consider that this may lead to the Brethren feeling like they have to excommunicate you, at best disfellowship you. At very best they may feel it was all a misunderstanding on their part and alert Church authorities in SLC.
I Know that this is a group of faithful LDS women, who are just looking for ways to Agitate faithfully. I would say using the symbol only associated with the Temple is one way to agitate faithfully. Using an empowering enobling explanation of why you choose to wear it in your day to day spiritual life, when you attend Church meetings, would maybe for a while think “Oh yeah the women get it, they are happy”.
For Feminist men who may frequent this site: You too can participate in this. In quite a few cultures it is the men who viel their faces, it is a symbol of power and manliness to them. They cover simply their mouth and nose to leave their eyes open. When explaining why you do this it can simply be “In support of the woman of my life, she is not under my authority, and her womb isn’t the only power she has, why should she be the only the one to declare by a visible symbol of veiling, when Moses himself had to viel his face coming down from the Mountain” (Need to look that up, but haven’t the real strength to pick up the Old Testament).
Yes, I know this is long, probably will be ignored, but this is all I can do right now. I am sorry for the Thread Jack: Receive or dismiss this as you see fit. I will probably do it in a few weeks, once I feel safe enough to do it. I may even write a blog about my experience. Maybe, I may also grow my hair out. Not because it is a commandment from God, but because if God put my hair as sign of authority, then that too must be long, to show that my authority and power is long, and flowing.
To me this is the most creative display of civil disobedience. We state by wearing a viel we deny our head (man) to come onto our true head, which is God. We remove the cultural underpinnings of power and authority, but this sign. It may take a year or so for it to affect a large amount of the Church.
I sincerely hope you would take into consideration this action. For those moderators on this site. If you would like to email me please, please do. IF you would really like to make this a project of LDS WAVE, and post this on Facebook by all means please do.
And in spirit of the nameless women in the scriptures call this: The Nameless Veiled Women protest
Truly I am trying to do this only because I’ve been slightly bugged by it. Really bugged by it. I am either going to learn at the end of this protest thing, that OH the viel is empowering, or the Brethren are going to get the hint and remove it from the Temple ceremony. Again Very sorry for the thread jack.
Okay, as I think on this protest some more. Really, I don’t know. I think it would take a hurculean effort on my part to even viel my face, let alone let everytime I am at achurch lead to the veiling.
I guess I am just looking for a place to air out my feelings on the whole thing. I will see more when I go through, and if I have the option of not veiling my face, or feel dizzy while veiling my face, then I won’t, and I heard that Temple workers have to respect that, that they can’t make me wear a veil over my face if I feel claustrophobic by it.
I think it is a good idea to remember these things at Thanksgiving. I know that I am one who tends to put these kinds of horrible things out of my mind. Thank you for your post.
Sarah, I am impressed with how you have researched the temple before getting your own endowment. It is important to understand the covenants you will make and you will be more comfortable with the ceremony, knowing what covenants you will make. I think that when you attend the temple with an open heart, perhaps your feelings of the veil will change. I find the practice beautiful and it helps me draw nearer to God and focus on Him. The moment when I unveil my face is one of my favorite moments. I can’t really explain it other than to say I feel closer to heaven at that moment. I know there are some things about the temple that are sexist, but I don’t find wearing the veil at all sexist.
I just looked back at your comments and I guess you probably have been to the temple by now if you went on Tuesday. I hope it was a good experience for you.
Hi, gang,
Here in South Dakota, Columbus Day no longer exists. It is now officially called Native American Day – NICE :o)
Couple years ago, my friend J. Kehaulani Kauanui did this podcast on Reconsidering the Origins of Thanksgiving. Here’s her website, http://www.indigenouspolitics.com, for more inspiration.
Others I recommend Googling on related native topics are: Robert Warrior, Haunani K. Trask, Paul Chaat Smith, Vine Deloria, Jr., Vine’s son Phillip Deloria, Kim TallBear, Jeani O’Brien, Anapesi Kaili, Pita Sharples, Alice Te Punga, Noelani Silva, Noelani Arista, Judith Kertesz – you’ll see tons more as you google.
pila maya,
–kiri :o)
Also, here’s a really great PBS special to watch – they include the Wampanoag struggle (chronologically includes the fabled Thanksgiving Day celebray). There are many episodes and my experience with some of those who are uninformed of US history who watch this and are taught of this Native perspective (in class or elsewhere) tend to get very, very offended and somewhat slightly psychotic since the guilt is so overbearing.
So, if you are just discovering indigenous politics (within North America at the very least), please prepare yourselves:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallremain/
–kiri