The Day After Thanksgiving 402 Years Later
by Francisco G. Gómez
We sat at the dinner table and ate a delicious meatloaf along with some other goodies on November 23rd, 2023. The only thing we changed was eating turkey because we don’t really like it and we never did. The celebration went on as usual, no different than any other day, as we always give thanks to Source and Pachamama every time we break bread on the day of thanks or not!
During the prayer offering my mind went back to 2009 when then President Barack Obama signed “The Native American Heritage Day Resolution,” designating the Friday after Thanksgiving as “Native American Heritage Day”. Its been 14 years now since I first had that thought and never did anything about saving the celebration until the day after on Friday. That would truly be a day to celebrate our First Nations people and all the contributions they have made to Turtle Island while giving thanks for our bounty.
Here’s an article originally published in 2020 by UCF and it quotes associate professor Rosalind Beiler who teaches the history of New England. Some very interesting facts stated by her have finally made me decide to change Thanksgiving in our home to a new day of celebration on November 24th, 2024. This decision is foremost in recognition that First Nations people have always suffered injustices at the hands of settler conquerers, from the Trail of Tears to Wounded Knee to the final dispossession of their lands. The least we can do is recognize that the time has come to admit these truths even if reparations aren’t in the foreseeable future and much less the return of Turtle Island to the rightful owners! And, if Thanksgiving means anything at all to First Nation’s people, then it should be in giving thanks that the people that stole their ancestral lands have recognized their contributions to what is now called the United States of America. But, it is unlikely that full recognition would ever occur by the thieves in admitting their theft – So much for Thanksgiving!
Below see some pics from East Brunswick, NJ – Durhams Corner Pow Wow – June 18, 2022. First Nations people from around the world gathered together in celebration.
Guasábara…
