I generally dig the idea of a Thanksgiving holiday (because I think we as a society and myself in particular aren’t thankful enough for the good things in our lives) but I have to admit that some of my recent reading gives me a different feeling about the historical roots of the holiday. (given the outright lies about what really took place on “the first thanksgiving” and the way the holiday is seen by many American Indians today).

Don’t get me wrong, I still intend to celebrate the holiday, but I’ll do it as a way of thanking God not as an homage to the Pilgrims who often did not act in such a just or Godly way.

Here are two articles on the subject of how American Indians see “Thanksgiving.”

  • The National Day of Mourning — A different ‘Thanksgiving’ Perspective by Terri Jean (this is an archived Yahoogroups message, so if an advertisement pops up, click “continue” and then you’ll be taken to the message)
  • Cherokee Link Newsletter (a publication of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma): Meaning of the Traditional Cherokee Thanksgiving Ceremony, The Green Corn Dance CeremonyBTW, I learned from this article (and also looking at the lexicon) that the Cherokee word for God is “u-ne-tla-nv.” (pronounced like “oo-neh-tla-nuh”). It sounds so beautiful when pronounced. — I really need to start working on learning Cherokee again. It is such a poetic language.