1. Is the Thanksgiving story we all heard as children too hokey? Or does it serve a good purpose? (Or, as so often happens, are both statements true at the same time?) What parts of the story are fake? What parts are true?Before answering these questions, read (a) an overview in The Christian Science Monitor that explains how the myth evolved over 400 years, (b) the primary historical sources, consisting of two paragraphs in letters written in 1621; (c) a newspaper story on what Alaska Natives eat along with their turkey and cranberry sauce today and (d) an essay by folklorist Esaúl Sánchez on how the myth celebrates multicultural society. Sometimes people use the word "myth" to mean something that's untrue, but does it have to be?
2. Some people say the First Thanksgiving story, especially as it is celebrated in elementary schools, sugar-coats the tragedy that befell Native people after the English established colonies in the 1600s. Do you agree? Or is it better to let little kids celebrate the myth, and learn more of the history as they get older? What purpose does it serve to teach children the myth? This myth or any myth?
3. Think of your family's Thanksgiving traditions, and/or those of other people you know. Is there anything unique about them? Any ethnic foods (like pickled herring or Swedish potato baloney, and, no, I am not making that up) served with the turkey and cranberry sauce? What is the importance of having a non-religious holiday to celebrate family, food and (of course) football in a multicultural, pluralistic society?
A lengthy survey of the history and culture of the Wampanoag (which means people of the first light, or dawn, or eastern light). Some of the detail will make your head swim, but read about the first few years of relations between the Wampanoag, the Pilgrims, and their relations the Naragansett Indians, the English settlers in Massachusetts Bay colony and others, both European and Native. It is the best history I've seen of the Wampanoag. I thought it gave an unusual insight into the Pilgrims, too, who they were, why they came to America, what some of their early problems were ... and how they and Tisquantum, or Squanto, got together.
The main points I got out of it were: (1) while the scale was smaller, there were the same kind of rivalries between different nations as in Europe; and (2) the Pilgrims, Squanto and the Wampanoag appear to have genuinely liked each other and wanted to help each other in the early days.
The Wampanoag people are still here, still living in Massachusetts. Visit the websites below to see what two tribal governments -- which function a lot like city or county governments but have some sovereign powers as well -- are doing to provide services and to help keep their cultures alive.
Click here to see a quick contemporary overview of the federally recognizedWampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, located on Martha's Vinyard. After reading the summary, follow the link to the tribal Aquinnah Cultural Center. Read especially the goals of the cultural center, which are nothing less than to keep the culture alive by handing it down to future generations:
Aquinnah tribal members hold a cultural vision to return to original Wampanoag lifestyles and values, with a modern lifestyle layered upon the traditional. To accomplish this, it is important to educate or share through teaching Wampanoag material culture and traditions while the center is being developed. This intergenerational focus and the integration of culture with everyday life are critical for strengthening the continuity of Wampanoag culture. (Boldface in the original.)
20 comments:
I belive that the the thanksgoving story that is told to kids ia appropriate for them. Thanksgiving is a holiday that we all celebrate, and at a young age children dont need to know a detailed historically accurate account of what actually happened. No matter how the whole event occured, the main idea of thanksgiving is the idea of sharing and putting differences aside...Wether or not the hoiliday in some way is used to help focus attention away from the tragedies that Native Americans were put through, the idea that Thanksgiving represents is still something that everyone should relate too.
I think the First thanksgiving story should continue to be told and celebrated in elementary schools. I dont really know what the purpose is to teach a child this myth or any other myth besides that fact that it gives them a sense of imagination. And our family tradition is pretty much the usual food and family.
I think the Thanksgiving story is the right one to tell younger kids. I think eventually it would change our holiday if they started telling kids that the English ran off the Native Americans. At my house we have a traditional American Thanksgiving, turkey and football
I think that the story of thanksgiving is a little hokey for children. I mean yeah, it does get the point across but really it reminds me almost of the story of santa clause that every child knows and loves. The part about the food that they ate is totally different than what we eat today. Back then they would have ate things that were close or near by for them to gather together and eat. Now we eat whatever tastes good to us. It really is a sort of misrepresentation on our part. I do also believe that the way the story is told to children does sugar coat the story. The Native Americans said they would do this for every meal, and give thanks for the meal they were recieving. My family just eats on thanksgiving thats about it. We don't have any sort of traditions on what we eat or such things as that.
I think that the Thanksgiving story should be continued to be taught to children. It is apart of our history and the tradition of Thanksgiving, even though most of the story is myth. The story serves a good purpose to remind us the importance of family and being together and putting aside differences. The purpoae that the myth serves is to give children a sense of tradition and to learn about the tradition of America and its beginnings.
1. Is the Thanksgiving story we all heard as children too hokey? Or does it serve a good purpose? (Or, as so often happens, are both statements true at the same time?) What parts of the story are fake? What parts are true?
~The story we all heard as children is indeed a little hokey. It doesn't state the face that the pilgrims and Indians had severe animosity towards eachother before the trade between the two tribes and the marriage of Pocohontas to a pilgrim to bascially form an alliance. The Indians, which were the Powotans not the Wampanoag. However, it is not a myth, they actually had a celebration, except they ran out of food b/c there was so many indians.
2. Some people say the First Thanksgiving story, especially as it is celebrated in elementary schools, sugar-coats the tragedy that befell Native people after the English established colonies in the 1600s. Do you agree? Or is it better to let little kids celebrate the myth, and learn more of the history as they get older? What purpose does it serve to teach children the myth? This myth or any myth?
~I believe personally to tell the "youngins" the whole story of what really happend but do not go into great detail, let them learn the specifics.
3. Think of your family's Thanksgiving traditions, and/or those of other people you know. Is there anything unique about them? Any ethnic foods (like pickled herring or Swedish potato baloney, and, no, I am not making that up) served with the turkey and cranberry sauce? What is the importance of having a non-religious holiday to celebrate family, food and (of course) football in a multicultural, pluralistic society?
~In my family there is a little bit of everything, we always cook more than enough food but its all stuff thats normal, no pickled herring of any of that. Usually Baked or fried turkey, roast, mashed potatos, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce, some other kinds of deserts, pumpkin pie, etc. Celebrating this non-religious holiday is important b/c it was how our country came about, it's history, we're just carrying on the tradition.
The story of the first thanksgiving that is told to young children today should probably be reevaluated. Although we do not want to tell them how the white man treated Native Americans, and all of the struggles they have been a part of, we should relay some type of message that it was not the happy time everyone thinks it was. The year before the first thanksgiving almost all of the colonists in Jamestown died. It had been a terrible beginning to the new colony. So, in that respect, Thanksgiving was a time to give God thanks for the bountiful fall that the colonists had. I know with my family we are not really getting together to eat, but rather to be with each other and give thanks that we are all in good health and living decent lives.
I think that in some manners, the Thanksgiving story told to us as children is too hokey. As a kid we all get the perception that Thanksgiving was the Indians and Pilgrims sitting around mingling with eachother at a big dinner table, it's the stereotypical Thanksgiving we are introduced too just like Christmas, Easter, and Halloween. The First Thanksgiving Celebrated is much too altered in elementary schools. The tragedies that the Natives endured over the colonies being settled on their land is overlooked. I don't think that is right to teach kids in elementary school the true history of Thanksgiving yet because they are not mature enough. But I do think that they should be introduced to the idea that it was not just a happy meal spent together. Then you realize, if you're not going to teach them the right history, then why give them any at all? Is the stereotypical Thanksgiving dinner just told so that kids wont ask questions about their big dinner, easter eggs hidden throughout the house, or the presents under the tree. It has all turned in to a part of raising children.
1)I believe the Thanksgiving story we all heard as children is great to teach young children because it is easily understandable and a great story. As I have just read almsot all of the story is fake, besides the fact that Indians and Colonists gathered and shared food. I always asumed they were talking to eachother with turkeys, cranberries, stuffing, etc.. but it turns out they spoke different languages and they didn't even serve the main course, turkey.
2)I don't agree because at the young age you are taught about the Thanksgiving story, it teaches you that Indians and Colonists were friends and you wouldn't understand about the Native Americans and what tradgedies did befall them.
3) I don't believe their is anything really unique about my familys Thanksgiving tradition besides the big football or basketball game that usually goes on before the feast begins. Finnally I believe the importance is that it is a holiday where we all gather to talk about the year and give thanks for all the good things that have happened to us in the year while being around our family.
The thanksgiving holiday to little kids is about pilgrams and native americans getting along and sharing a meal together. This is the message we try to teach children today, that everyone needs to get along with one an other. Also, it is just easier for kids to understand the traditional story of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving in more about spending time with the faimly and sharing in tradtions that the faimly has instilled, different ways of celebrating the holiday and the different foods.
The story we all heard as young children serves a good purpose I would say. Up until fifth grade, children are too young to have to know the historical background of how Thanksgiving came about. I believe it's much better to let little kids celebrate the myth. Almost every major holiday has been altered in some way. Chistmas and Santa......Easter and the Easter bunny......Also without the myth, there would be no pies or potatoes or any of the good foods we presently eat during Thanksgiving. I definitely agree on the idea to let little kids celebrate the myth, and then when they get older, let them learn about and realize the history behing Thanksgiving. My family doesn't really do or eat anything unique on Thanksgiving. Turkey, mashed potatoes, ham, corn, biscuits, brocoli chesse caserole, pie, and football
I think the Thanksgiving story would educate elementary school still today, and i also think it is right to tell younger kids. When i think of thanksgiving, it is a time where we all celebrate, and when i think of children, i dont really know the purpose of teaching a child this myth besides the fact that is gives them a sense of imagination. The whole idea of thanksgiving is to share, and putting anything on your mind behind you. My family tradition is getting the whole family together, and eating all kinds of foods, and just hanging out and having a really good time with our family.
1. Is the Thanksgiving story we all heard as children too hokey? Or does it serve a good purpose? (Or, as so often happens, are both statements true at the same time?) What parts of the story are fake? What parts are true?
Children are supposed to be interested in the story and want to be entertained. If told the true story there would not be much entertainment. The menu as told to children is wrong. There was no turkey or pies. It lasted three days.
2. Some people say the First Thanksgiving story, especially as it is celebrated in elementary schools, sugar-coats the tragedy that befell Native people after the English established colonies in the 1600s. Do you agree? Or is it better to let little kids celebrate the myth, and learn more of the history as they get older? What purpose does it serve to teach children the myth? This myth or any myth?
It is almost the same as Santa, you do not tell little children he does not exist because then the children would not have anything to look forward to. As the children get older they beging to realize that it is impossible.
3. Think of your family's Thanksgiving traditions, and/or those of other people you know. Is there anything unique about them? Any ethnic foods (like pickled herring or Swedish potato baloney, and, no, I am not making that up) served with the turkey and cranberry sauce? What is the importance of having a non-religious holiday to celebrate family, food and (of course) football in a multicultural, pluralistic society?
My family gets together every year and has a huge feast. We have all the usual foods including ham and ribs. This holday is very important because it brings everyone together and we get two days off from work and time off from school.
No, I don't believe the stories we've heard as kids is too hokey because it helps the kids to believe in the concept of giving thanks for what they have and the concept of family as well, even if some of the stories are far-fetched.2)yes, it does sugar coat the tragedy but they're kids. They are too young to learn about tragedies in life so it's better to let the kids celebrate the myth and let them learn as they get older. I have no unique Thanksgiving traditions. Basically it's just getting together with family and having turkey. However, I think it's a way for some people to express their own sense of family and have a day to express themselves culturally as well.
I don’t think that the Thanksgiving myth we all heard as children is too hokey. I think it helps teachers to demonstrate how different groups of people can get along and join together for a special occasion. For this, it serves a good purpose. The parts of the story that are fake are the types of food at the Thanksgiving Feast. They had fowl, Indian corn which made cornmeal, fish, venison, and other fruits and vegetables. No where in the records does it say they had Turkey, potatoes, stuffing and pumpkin pie. They didn’t even have ovens to make pumpkin pie. I think it is okay for the children to learn a sugar-coated version of the First Thanksgiving and then learn more as they get older. Myths can serve many purposes when teaching students in elementary school. At our Thanksgiving meals we always have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, noodles, and rolls. For desert there is always pumpkin, chocolate, and apple or cranberry pie. That is just the way my grandma has made it since before I was born. I think it is important to have special holidays for families to get together. If we didn’t have these forms of holidays, my family would never see each other!
1. I don't believe it is too hokey. This story everyone has heard and has grown up on it. Some of it might be a little fake so that it lightens the mood, but i believe that's what basically happened.
2. I think it is better for the little kids to just celebrate the myth because that's how we were all raised up. It teaches them peace instead of hatred.
3. The only kind of ethnic foods that i can think of that we have are sweet potatoes. The importance of thanksgiving is for everyone to come together to realize what they are actually thankful for and put all the bad things behind you.
I think the story that we heard as children is fine. It give the child something to look forward to also, they get to learn something while they are playing. The way it’s taught in the elementary schools may be sugar-coated a bit though young children do not need to know all the truthfully facts yet not until they can fully understand. Let them celebrate the myth. Our family Thanksgiving traditions are I would say like most American family’s dinners. Though since we are Italian there is usually homemade meatballs and etc. Everyone needs to spend more time celebrating their families people just have too much going on in lives today.
i dont think that the myth told to children is to hokey. They are too young to understand all the little details of Thanksgiving. I do think that they should still tell the story...children do need to know the basic who was involved and why we still celebrate it today. As the kids get older they will realize that everything they was told to them could not have been true. There isn't really anything unique about my family's Thanksgiving, we all get together and my grandmas and eat a ton of food...not unusual food just good food.
I think the story that we learned as children may have been a liitle to animated. But I think that it is better to tell the story of how to groups came together to get along and feast for a joyous holiday than to tell them otherwise. A truthful part of the story is that the colonists and indians came together for a feast but the false part is that the indians and the colonists didn't communicate w/eachother because they didn't speak the same language. Some myths about Thanksgiving is some of the food they cooked. For Indians Thanksgiving was everyday. I think that now Thanksgiving is about families getting together to feast and give thanks for what they have.
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