How a rejected Thanksgiving speech forged an Indigenous holiday tradition: Analysis

When Mahtowin Monro reflects on her childhood Thanksgivings, she vividly recalls the school pageants. The elementary school tradition involved dividing the class into two groups: some students dressed as Pilgrims, complete with bonnets and tall hats, and others representing Indigenous peoples, adorned with paper feathers and headbands. Together, they would act out the holiday myth that the early settlers in the United States welcomed their Indigenous neighbors with open arms and a bountiful feast. However, even as a child, Monro sensed that this depiction was inaccurate. Today, she helps lead a ceremony that aims to honor the real history of Indigenous peoples in North America, a history she believes Thanksgiving contributes to erasing.

On the fourth Thursday of November, coinciding with the US Thanksgiving holiday, Monro and fellow members of the group United American Indians of New England (UAINE) gather in Plymouth, Massachusetts, for a National Day of Mourning. This event serves as a protest, a remembrance, and a spiritual ceremony. It not only acknowledges the ongoing violence against Indigenous people but also brings together speakers to address a range of issues, including environmental destruction and fishing rights.

Monro, who identifies as Oglala Sioux, attended her first National Day of Mourning in the mid-1980s and immediately felt a deep connection to the ceremony. She was particularly struck by the presence of Native people in New England, some of whom had been told during their upbringing that they were extinct. These individuals spoke about their history and their current experiences, leaving a lasting impact on Monro. It was at this event that she met Wamsutta Frank James, an Indigenous leader who would become the grandfather of her twin children. James, an Aquinnah Wampanoag man, helped establish the National Day of Mourning in 1970.

Initially, James had been invited to speak at the 350th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival in Plymouth. However, the event organizers rescinded their offer when they reviewed his remarks, which discussed the atrocities committed against Indigenous people. James’ suppressed speech highlighted the loss of Indigenous land and emphasized the need for a more humane and Indian America, where both men and nature would hold importance. In response to the rejection, James organized a protest on Cole’s Hill, overlooking Plymouth Bay, a tradition that continues to this day with Monro and her daughter Kisha James.

Monro recently spoke with Al Jazeera about her memories of Frank James and the importance of reimagining holidays as a means of empowerment. She emphasized that James’ speech was carefully crafted and drew on Pilgrim sources to convey historical truths while refusing to glorify the Pilgrims. Monro believes that the Thanksgiving holiday represents a celebration of invasion and devastation for Native people in the region, which is why bringing attention to the real history through events like the National Day of Mourning is essential.

Regarding the broader push to question and potentially reimagine holidays like Thanksgiving and Columbus Day, Monro and UAINE actively campaign for Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead. They aim to abolish Columbus Day and celebrate Indigenous people’s resilience and cultures. Monro criticized the harmful celebration of Christopher Columbus, which perpetuates the false narrative that Native people were passive and waiting to be discovered and “civilized.” This erasure and distortion of history is damaging, particularly for Native children, and perpetuates settler colonialism and the marginalization of Indigenous people.

When asked about pushback against the National Day of Mourning, Monro acknowledged that some individuals resist any truth-telling and prefer the picturesque and distorted version of history. However, she emphasized that there are many others, including non-Native people, who are receptive to learning the truth and challenging the myths they were taught. For Monro, it is important for people to engage with Native communities and listen to their experiences to gain a more accurate understanding of the history and their rightful place on the land.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/23/how-a-rejected-thanksgiving-speech-forged-an-indigenous-holiday-tradition