Ah, the most wonderful time of the year, where we gather around a giant turkey with our friends and family and say what we are most thankful for. How can we celebrate this holiday while also acknowledging it’s messed up history? Here are three simple ways to celebrate Thanksgiving unproblematically.
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Educate: Most people are aware of the true history of Thanksgiving, but every year a new generation of kids come along and are taught to celebrate the holiday and to give thanks. Kids are shown a certain perception of how to view the holiday based on TV shows and books. We show them pictures of pilgrims and Indians (of which all seem to be wearing feather hats) sitting down at a table enjoying a nice meal, when in reality, a genocide of many men, women, and children occurred. Instead of lying to children about the holiday, we should actually teach them about this massacre and why the idea of Thanksgiving isn’t so simple after all.
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Remember: Every year, Native American families are reminded of the cruel history of Thanksgiving. American’s are aware of this history, but don’t always remember it when cooking a turkey or watching football with loved ones. A prayer or moment of silence during dinner can show respect to the lives lost and the communities affected by a tragic massacre. One simple thing we can do is take some time to remember the lives lost and be aware of how Thanksgiving really came to be.
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Give Back: The lives of many Native Americans were taken, and it’s impossible to rewrite history, but something we can do today is give back to the Native American community. By supporting the businesses of their community, we are acknowledging the work and goods they provide society. We can also donate some money, or even a little bit of our time to help out and give back in other ways.
So, as you sit down with your loved ones this Thanksgiving, take a moment to recognize what the holiday is truly about, and try to celebrate in the most unproblematic way possible.