Thanksgiving

It is Thanksgiving. A good day.

Too bad it has been shackled in stories of kind Pilgrims, turkeys and God’s gift to mankind. At a time when murdered and missing indigenous women are all but forgotten and treaties are broken for extraction of resources, perhaps we need to begin again. Perhaps we can add a little truth to our thanks.

It is a very rude awakening to realize the victor shaped the stories taught and memorized.

The people who arrived on the shores of this “new world” were determined to usurp valued resources and willing to wipe out the Native population. They were certain this land was a gift from their “God”. They believed that the indigenous living here were godless and unworthy. They left England certain that the prophesized “End” was coming soon and they were here to create a new world at any cost.

These beliefs and fragments of them have lived on in our culture; driving agendas and allowing hate to continue. Reconciliation and peace are possible, but we must be willing to rectify what has been so terribly wrong.

Today is Thanksgiving. We have the choice to perpetuate lies or to promote the true and lasting thanks Native peoples celebrated long before the advent of the Pilgrims. The giving of thanks to the Creator for the harvest has always come naturally to those living in harmony with the land.

We are all sickened by lies. When we understand these tales are causing harm, we will end the telling of them.

There is no need to perpetuate division among us. Our mutual history is of stolen lands, slavery and slaughtered people. It is also a story of kindness, friendship and giving Thanks. Let these victors tell new stories.

 

 

You can listen to it here.