In the year 1620, Pilgrims have landed on the land that we now call the Provincetown Harbor, Cape Cod, and ventured ashore there. Contrary to what the children of America are taught – they did not celebrate Thanksgiving that year.
Since it has been 400 years since the arrival of the Pilgrims to the Native American lands, it has brought some confusion about when Thanksgiving had actually happened, since history had said that their first Thanksgiving feast was in 1629.
The belief that is widely accepted by many was that in 1621, the feast in Plymouth was the first Thanksgiving to occur, where the Wampanoag tribe befriended the whites and taught them how to hunt and harvest – they had a merry feast to commemorate their new neighbors.
Much of what’s been taught has also been left out by the Pilgrims to preserve the event’s purity when in reality, the Native Americans and the colonists had become a dreadful encounter.
The colonizers brought a disease that had killed off the Native Americans, where others are also forced off their own land and even slaughtered.
Most Americans see yesterday as Thanksgiving, while the Native Americans, especially the ones from the Wampanoag tribe refer to their Thanksgiving as National Day of Mourning.
The truth cannot be concealed any longer – we must acknowledge that in this festive holiday, a grim history resides within it. Hopefully, we get a better understanding and empathize with those that were sacrificed, as we are now not being kept in the dark like we used to.
The state of Massachusetts, with the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce, had planned for the Plymouth 400, a planning committee dedicated to commemorating the anniversary of the Mayflower’s landing. In light of the ongoing pandemic, the group had to cancel almost everything – including ceremonies, events, and festivals, which would have also bring disfavor to the tribe affected.
As of right now, no celebrations are being held regarding the city of Plymouth’s annual Thanksgiving parade. Once the pandemic has ceased, next year would be where they’ll consider things.
Source: Newsweek
