Thanksgiving History & Religious View

 

Thanksgiving History & Religious View

 

Thanksgiving is a celebration in the US from Renaissance period. Traditionally it is spent with family and being eaten food also playing games. American schools teach children that this dates back to the Pilgrims which established the Plymouth Colony in 1620 (present day Massachusetts). Also that the Natives thought the colonists to survive the new environment and they lived happy together also celebrating the Thanksgiving as a family. During this times they also put children at school to make costumes of Pilgrims and Natives to learn better the event. Unfortunately the situation is not quite true, neither being taught at schools the historical accurate events. The history of this is quite dark and is not popularly known the other side.

 

Origins:

 

Unlike most common belief the concept of Thanksgiving in America did not start with the colonial period but predates it, having pagan roots since the Natives were converted much later to Christianity. All the Native tribes across of North American Continent they had different ways of showing gratitude giving to the Nature blessing their spirits (both theirs and the deceased ones) and the Nature for offering them what they received.

According to the genetic search and analysis on this planet it was resulted that all American continents did not have native population but they migrated from Asian continent. Native & Inuit tribes have origins in North-East Siberia and they have migrated around 30.000 BC in the continent. Most Inuits had the land of what is Canada today while the Natives lived in present USA. Existed since back then mixture between the 2 ethnicities and even between tribes themselves more or less. Recent results from the historical and archaeological researches had proven that the first contact with European continent was not with the settlers but with the Nordic population and Vikings travelling to America and even sharing commerce and trading. Not to mention that in all Nordic region of Europe, combined with Siberia, exists presence of the Inuit genes in Greenland and Fenno-Scandinavian populations. Returning to the main topic besides the Native rituals being grateful of what they received in life, a parallel approach existed in the West Europe as a religious action.

 

Historical Events:

In the Old World (Europe), it all started in 1608 when was a Congregation of disgruntled English with protestant religion from East Midlands left England which moved in Leyden, a city from Holland. They saw the Church of England same corrupted and idolatrous as Catholic Church therefore they wanted to separate from it and make their own church. They were seen as "Separatists" and are not the same people as the Puritans, even if both did not agree with the Protestant Church. The difference between them is that the Pilgrims wanted to separate considering themselves Saints and having a special mission, which were named as "Separatists", while the Puritans despite the fact that had the same thinking they wanted a renewal of the church not reform. The "Separatists" moved to Holland thinking they could do whatever they liked. There they worked hard for a decade in the industry of textile with their religious freedom. Also the farmers and labourers were poor and had to work for hours. Because of their lifestyle and libertine attitude, unfortunately corrupted a lot of youth from there which caused conflict with the locals. Also the fact that were immigrants, having to work a lot for their life there and were not seen with good eyes.

Therefore they had to move from there somewhere else. The best choice was to the New World where didn't exist any government and harsh lifestyle. First stop was London to get organized. Virginia (one of the colonies, was the first to settle in US by the English). They gave permission to these Pilgrims to establish a settlement or a plantation on the East Coast between 38-41 degrees N latitude. The King of England gave them permission to leave the Church and could provide themselves. In August 1620 a group of 40 people, joined a much larger group of secular colonists named "Strangers" and set sail from Southampton, England on 2 ships: The Mayflower and the Speedwell. Unfortunately the Speedwell started to leak almost immediately, so they returned with the 2 ships to the port in Plymouth. They all moved to Mayflower (a cargo ship about 80 feet wide and capable of carrying 180 tones of cargo). They set sail again under the direction of Captain Christopher Jones. Because of the leak they had delay and also had to go through the sea storms. They ran very fast of resources and the journey was very hard especially because of the lack of food, bad condition in the shop and also due to weather. Were 102 passengers both men and women with children inside.

The Mayflower started its journey to the New World (America) on 6 September 1620, the day when they set sail from Plymouth. The crew had 37 men. In all this harsh trip only 1 person perished. Before the Pilgrims (which considered themselves Saints promoting their religion as it should be in their acceptation, wanted later to convince the locals into their vision too) coming to the New World existed before other Europeans moving there earlier. The Spanish and French arrived there and colonized parts also tricked locals and transported them to Europe to become servants and slaves. Once they arrived they brought with them diseases which killed most Native population due to lack of immunity system resisting to those specific diseases. This way made it easy to conquer their lands. This method was shortly adopted by the English when they moved here and continued the ways.

By Spring 1621 the Mayflower passengers arrived and they found only a Native abandoned village. They also arrived in the wrong direction and had no right to be there. To legitimate their presence they made a colony, named Plymouth, after the city they came from. They created a document and signed it under the name "Mayflower Compact". This is the first document that proofs the existence of the first self government in the New World. This is also an early stage for future colonists seeking independence from the English. Their first Thanksgiving was on the ship. Only 53 passengers and half of the crew survived. Majority of the women didn't make it due to cold and bad conditions.

The Mayflower shipped back to England in April 1621. Majority died from malnutrition, disease, exposure of the new harsh environment, seen as New England. A Native from the tribe Abenaki named Samset who knew English, helped the colonists make an alliance with the Wampanoag tribe, who taught them local agriculture and hunting.

Next Autumn, the colonists celebrated their 1st successful harvest with a 3 day festival of Thanksgiving. This is considered to be the 1st official Thanksgiving day and happened between late September and middle November 1621. The Pilgrims organized a feast then and because of the shooting with guns the Native thought they were at war. Therefore they came to see with the army what is the situation and found the Pilgrims. The Native were twice at number then the Immigrants, about 90 members, and they stayed at this celebration seeing there is no conflict. Many of the dishes were traditionally Native but not similar to what is today on the plates. The food was eaten without ceremony and had no utensils or plates. They ate on flat surfaces. Also during this 3 day festival they ate whenever they were hungry and had no arrangement.

The first contact with the Natives was when they stolen their winter provisions. Shortly after they robbed the graves for values and objects. The Indigenous had sense of property, it wasn't private but community property. They knew exactly where their land started and ended. When the English bought land from Wampanoag tribe, they assumed initially that are buying into Wampanoag country not taking the country out from their feet. The tribe actually wanted to get rid of the invaders and thought to make alliance with their rivals to clear the land.

The 2nd Thanksgiving was in 1623 which marked the end of the long drought. Were recorded similar feasts in other places of USA which predates these colonists. Ousamequin formed an alliance between the 2 parts. This existed only because majority died of disease reasons brought by colonists in last years. It was only for survival reasons. From this moment Pilgrims celebrated the Thanksgiving as victory against the Natives. He offered to the newcomers an alliance because they were at war with the tribe Narragansett.

For 10 years under Ousamequin also named Massasoit (Massasoit- great sachem) leader of the tribe both parts lived peacefully and traded. After his death and his son Wamsutta took over, appeared conflicts again. Between 1630-1642 about 25.000 European colonizers arrived, while devastating the land especially with diseases taking over Natives once again more then half.

In 1675, 3 Natives were executed after killing a man who had served as a translator to the Settlers, which generated a big conflict between the 2 groups. Metacomet, the other son of Massasoit knew he will loose land to the newcomers so he made a coalition pact with the other Native tribes to protect themselves and their resources.

By Autumn of 1675, the coalition members started attacking the settlements in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Narragansett tribe wanted to remain neutral but unfortunately their rivals took refugee in their land seeking shelter. Puritan forces attacked them killing 600 Natives and about 150 Settlers. After the King Philip war (the pilgrim name for Metacomet), Wampanoag abducted the Settlers and held them for ransom, so Settlers destroyed the Native villages. A lot of the colonies were burned, looted and taking several years even decade to recover entirely. 30% of English and half of Natives from New England have perished. It ended when Metacomet died. His remaining allies were also executed and sold into slavery. They also took Metacomet's head, put it on spike and displayer it in Plymouth for 25 years. Diseases also appeared in both parts, affecting mostly Indigenous, from the rats which arrived in land from the ships.

So the first harvest was followed by deadly conflicts between colonizers and Natives of all tribes. The Immigrants repaid their Native allies by seizing their land and imprisoning, enslaving, executing the locals. The next Thanksgiving feasts by the Settlers often are marked with brutal victories over the Natives such as Pequot Massacre of 1637, beheading the Wampanoag leader Metacom in 1676. In 1637 the Massachusetts Colony Governor declared a day of Thanksgiving after volunteers murdered 700 Pequot people. This is the official mention of the Thanksgiving celebration. The Puritans came much later then the Pilgrims in the new land. In 1763 the British gave to the Aztec, Shawnee and Lenape (Delaware) infected blankets and handkerchiefs from Smallpox Hospitals (historical source from colonists, it was only recorded this, while the Native sources are larger mentioning that several blankets were offered to several tribes and epidemics started shortly). Years before this method the colonists burned crops, killing buffaloes, which were source of food, and also stolen Indigenous women to force the men to get them back under exchange of land.

President Washington declared the Thanksgiving Holiday in 1789, but had nothing with Natives, was a public day of Thanksgiving and prayers. In the declaration of independence are mentioned "The Merciless Savage Indians' which shows the image of the Indigenous in the eyes of the founders of America. Abraham Lincoln was persuaded by writer Sarah Josepha Hale to make official this celebration everywhere during the Civil War in 1863 to keep unity. Before him it was celebrated by individual colonies and states, he proclaimed this celebration each November annually. Colonial ideology became the identity of what is a true American, so it was taught in schools after industrialization the concept of Americanism for the New Immigrants. One of the stories was the idealized celebration we have today having glorification of colonialism. Only in 1924 the Natives were allowed to gain citizenship and a decade later the right to vote. So the Pilgrims are seen as the fathers of America.

This celebration in the eyes of Indigenous people is seen as genocide and resilience of the Natives. Wampanoag tribe (meaning people of the first light) had been in Massachusetts since 10.000 years. They named their land Patuxet. In 1600's they had 69 villages, each having a chief sachem and a medicine man. They had knowledge and practice of agriculture, hunting and fishing. Also had messengers which delivered information between tribes. They migrated in different regions due to weather to adapt.

They had contact and fought with European explorers since 1524. In 1614 before the arrival of the Pilgrims, the English lured one member of the Wampanoag tribe named Tisquantum (also Squanto) and 20 more men of the tribe into a ship with the purpose of selling them into slavery in Spain. Squanto spent years finding a way to return home. While he was in foreign land, his tribe had a pandemic for 3 years from unknown source (smallpox, yellow fever, disease from rat feces), which almost exterminated the tribe. Also in 1614, Epenow, a member of Nauset tribe from Cape Cod, was captured by Europeans and kept in bondage for 3 years. He managed to escape and returned home. Both him and Squanto have same contribution in the contact between Indigenous and Pilgrims, despite the fact that Squanto is usually the only one mentioned in stories.

In 1616 a serious pandemic affected the Wampanoag villages. Their decision to help the Pilgrims affected their whole life and future. The only purpose of the Settlers was to raid Native villages, take their land, food, resources, seeds, objects and values from the graves also the offerings to them. In about 50 years the colonists outnumbered the locals and expanding their own settlements. The famous Pocahontas, a member of Powhatan tribe died in 1617, 4 years before the first Thanksgiving.

In 1789, Massachusetts created a law to make illegal teaching a Wampanoag tribe member to read or write and punishable by death. From a realistic point of view, even if the official interest was to conquer lands and resources, getting rid of the impediment, in this case the locals, always existed individuals and minorities which never agreed with this abuse and also fought for the rights of these people.

In the year 2021 is the 400th anniversary of what is known as 1st Thanksgiving. This predates the popularized Plymouth story, with Berkeley Hundred (Virginia) colonizers, celebrating their arrival with a Thanksgiving in 1619. Spanish Settlers along with Seloy tribe in Florida celebrated with bread and pork and beans in 1565. Pilgrims initially celebrated with fast and prayers not like in contemporary times with turkey and other dishes. Back then also people ate what they found available.

The official Thanksgiving is the one from 1637 when the Massachusetts governor declared a day to celebrate the colonial soldiers who had getting rid of hundreds of Pequot members of the tribe in what is now Connecticut. In the Indigenous perspective this day should be seen as mourning day not as a feast, to commemorate the suffering of their ancestors for centuries. They gather in Plymouth and say prayers.

Also they encourage on this day people to learn more about their Native culture Instead of celebrating the idealistic feast. Also they encourage to be taught at schools gradually the true story which happened and people to stop making costumes out of their culture. The feather headdress it is exclusive dedicated to the chiefs and each feather has a specific meaning gained by an action. It is something sacred and should not be seen similar to a Halloween costume. Especially that November is Native American month and on Black Friday, a commercial celebration, is actually the Native American day.

 

The Animal Abuse:

 

We might believe that all the bad had happened long ago and now is everything going for better. It may gradually be an improvement for the humans, especially the Indigenous but animals are not so fortunate. The slaughter houses and meat industry is once again in their zone during this time of the year. Turkey farm abuse start from their first day.

It starts with the semen which the farmers take it out from the bird with a straw. As babies their beaks are seared off with hot iron while they are suspended and without any anesthesia. They are desnooded and detoed also. They live in a very crowded place without decent conditions in industrial sheds. Nail clipper or finger with thumbnail are used to desnood. At older turkeys are used scissors. The farmers harm the birds by throwing them violently to the ground or kicking them with feet to make them obedient. The birds are force fed to gain bigger weight and end up with health problems also losing legs due to weight. Turkeys are killed at 5 months.

So unfortunately maybe people have reasons to celebrate but the turkeys have nothing to be grateful for receiving this horrific short life loaded with suffering and abuse, which after the person eats it will receive in body the same suffering.

 

Religious views upon this celebration:

Judaism:

In this religion it is considered this celebration officially as a secular holiday which people belonging of this religion living in America consider it acceptable to practice it as national holiday for the importance of American culture. But despite this general superficial view exist some issues about this. As I mentioned previously in the Halloween article, in Judaism it is forbidden to practice, commemorate and believe in a non Jewish holiday which doesn't have and respect biblical and rabbinic views and laws.

Also are 2 types of prohibited customs: the imitation of ridiculous, foolish and/or idolatrous customs or celebrations even if the origins are not idolatrous. It is also considered as irrational celebration, making it with a fixed date is against the Jewish calendar, practicing it in time as official recognized celebration, especially as a secular and Non Jewish origin. It is forbidden in this law to imitate secular society especially if they have illogical or abusive practice or roots.

By setting an official date every year it is transformed the holiday into an annual practice and celebration which is wrong. Another issue is that the holiday has roots of human abuse, something against this religion to do harm especially by intention and with desire to obtain more then you need/deserve.

Christian:

In Orthodoxy is essential to put God first. Especially that the Eastern Orthodoxy is the only one which have the original dogma and rituals. As a Christian you have to be humble, modest, help others and also sacrifice yourself for God and for others.

As we know the Settlers did create a lot of wars and fights with the locals and abuse them. Even the simple wish, desire and lust for war is a sin and fall from Christianity. The person which likes, practices or thinks of war or violent conflicts, actions, thoughts is a sin and leads to death (both the spiritual one by loosing humanity and feelings; and sooner or later the physical one also).

It is against the Christian to wish saving his own life for having benefits wishing others death or suffering. Scripture says that death is a paycheck of the sin. The root of this is the pride and arrogance accepted as temptation from Satan which made humans being banished from Heaven in the 1st place. From these 2 appear human greed and leads to more such as money, fame, power, image etc. All which can corrupt the mind and soul of someone to harm or do compromises to obtain them in a way or another (a similar teaching exists in Islam too).

One of the main reasons why this happens is that the human wants equality and autonomy with God. To sustain life by himself without intervention of any divine help and wishing to replace God to be himself God despite the fact that he is just human and only is part of the Creation not Creation itself. Such attitude and mentality kills the human being. Even today the modern scientists trying to recreate in laboratory life, such actions mean God playing and ways to prove that they can do something independently from God and that life appears autonomous from itself by itself. Another reason is trying to have the eternal body life to defeat death. Of course in Orthodoxy we do not believe in death as eternal statement. Death of body is inevitable until the resurrection at the Final Judgement day when the bodies are regenerated and then we will receive them back, since the soul do not dies and goes to Heaven or Hell after the physical death happens depending on case.

Another rule in Christianity is to respect the life and property of others. You are not allowed to take by force anything neither anyone. Anything that comes from God is smooth and is connected fast, if appear several obstacles and suffering means that this is not given by God but is a temptation from Evil to control you and make you sin to be lost. (a similar perspective in life also exists in Buddhism).

Therefore as a Christian by practicing Thanksgiving means you agree with the Settler behaviour and justification of what they did and is against any values of the Christian way of life and dogma. Not to mention that considering themselves as saints is another sin, not only that requires a lot of emotional sacrifice to become a Saint but even the Saints never seen themselves as such, they viewed themselves as the worst sinners and humble, modest and nor worthy to enter Heaven. Not considering themselves as something superior to everyone with special mission as saints to change the world in their acceptation not even the Orthodox way.

 

Islam:

In this religion also exists the concept of thanks giving and gratitude of what you received in life. It has 2 components: hamd and shukr. Hamd is when you thank someone for offering you a gift or helping you as generous act, when someone doesn't expect something else in return. Shukr (also the word thank you in Arabic "shukran" coming from this) means to be grateful and thankful to what Allah gave you in this life by himself or through this world, also making all blessings and offerings (both spiritual & material) toward Allah.

So even if the concept of the thanks giving exists still exist some issues with this celebration in the religious perspective. As I said that the Settlers occupied by force the land and abused the locals for their own benefit, this is an action forbidden in Islam. The Quran states clearly that wealth does not belong to anyone on this planet, only to Allah himself and he has ownership over everything since he is the creator. We just rent and borrow while we live in this physical world the land and resources to survive. People are not allowed to demand more then what is prescribed for them, in all ways.

Another law is made for inheritance and land property. Trying stratagems such as evil actions, family drama, conflicts or other issues to obtain a property or a bigger percentage from it then inherited is forbidden. Before donation or inheritance is not allowed that the person to have debts, they must be payed first in case they exist. However you can't donate with the intention of interfering in anyone's inheritance rights or doing injustice to others. Another rule is that in the Quran, Allah says to show love, compassion, kindness and warm feelings and behaviour towards others, to not harm other living beings.

As a conclusion by practicing this holiday in a way or another you support the behaviour of the Settlers towards the Natives which is against the principles and laws mentioned above.