I have always loved Thanksgiving since I was a child. Fall was my favorite season because it brought relief from the sweltering heat of Florida, where I grew up. I also enjoyed participating in holiday-themed projects like coloring headdress feathers and reenacting the Thanksgiving feast with my classmates. The abundance of turkey dishes was another highlight of the holiday. Unlike other holidays that involved boring church services, Thanksgiving focused on food, family, and gratitude, which felt uplifting. My family mostly got along, so I have fond memories of Thanksgiving.
However, as I grew older, I learned the truth about the holiday’s history and felt guilty for enjoying it. Today, I am torn between participating in a traditional Thanksgiving celebration with my family and standing in solidarity with Indigenous people in Plymouth, who mourn the holiday as a symbol of genocide, theft, and erasure of their culture. Despite being in Columbus, Ohio due to an unexpected funeral, I still feel a sense of regret for not being in Plymouth.
I believe that moving Thanksgiving to a different date while retaining its essence of coming together and expressing gratitude would be a better way to honor the holiday without perpetuating a false narrative. However, I acknowledge that my protest would go unnoticed and that participating in family rituals is important, even if it means engaging in a national charade.
Instead, I plan to honor the Indigenous people of the lands where I have lived and also verbalize a land acknowledgment before our holiday feast. I understand that talking about these issues may make some people uncomfortable, but I refuse to ignore our painful past as a nation.
I recently visited Harper’s Ferry National Park with my partner, where we reflected on our nation’s history, including the divide that still polarizes our country today. We both believe that the side of history that fights for equal human rights is the right one.
As we prepare for Thanksgiving, I grapple with feelings of shame over the sins of my ancestors and the importance of upholding traditions while acknowledging the pain caused by them. Thus, I recognize the need to strike a balance between honoring traditions and standing up for what is right.
