Historical Thanksgiving

A Historical Turkey Ride

 

For four centuries Thanksgiving has been a time to show appreciation of what bounty we have. The tradition began in the fall of  1621 when the Mayflower carried passengers from Plymouth, England in search of a new home. After a long and treacherous journey they finally settled in Massachusetts. 

Long before the settlers arrived the area was inhabited by many Native American nations, among them the Wampanoag. The natives who been there for a very long time knew how to live well off the land they hunted, fished, and harvested. Chief Massasoit, the Wamapnoag leader, offered to help the pilgrims learn how to use the land in exchange for mutual protection. And so the Thanksgiving feast tradition began with a  shared harvest celebration. 

Here are more facts about the history of this day of thanks:

1)    The famous “Pilgrim and Wampanoag” story featured in modern Thanksgiving narratives was excluded from earlier Thanksgiving legends, largely due to tensions between Indians and colonists.

2)    Held every year on the island of Alcatraz since 1975, “Unthanksgiving Day” commemorates the survival of Native Americans following the arrival and settlement of Europeans in the Americas.

3)    President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving, and in 1941 Congress established it as a national holiday.

4)    The original Thanksgiving feast in 1621 occurred sometime between September 21 and November 1. It lasted three days and included 50 of the 112 pilgrims inhabitants and approximately 90 Wampanoag members. Their menu included berries, shellfish, boiled pumpkin, and deer.

We hope this year your Thanksgiving is filled with gratitude and joy.

Harvest Celebrations

Festive Autumn Traditions

One of the richest folkloric seasons of the year is Autumn. This is harvest time, when for centuries people have been  gleaning, preparation, tending, storing and preparing grains, vegetables, fruits and livestock. These essential life basics were designed to nourish people during the winter season when many food items were scarce. A bounty of harvest folk wisdom has been  handed down from generation to generation.

Folklore about how best to survive the outside forces of weather and nature can be found in stories (legends, tales, etc.), music, food, art, and dance.  The details vary from culture to culture but all of them share in the festivities. Even though some of the examples below have already happened this year, it’s good to reminded of our creatively people celebrate this important time of year.

• Korea: Chusok, also known as the Korean Thanksgiving occurs during the harvest season. Korean families take this time to thank their ancestors for providing them with rice and fruits.
•  Israel: Sukkot the Feast of Tabernacles, begins five days after Yom Kippur and is observed for one week. Traditionally meals are taken outside the home in an unroofed hut decorated with the fruits of the harvest. It is reminder of the temporary dwellings of the Israelites during their journey through the desert.
• Austria:  Saint Leopold's feast day marks the start of the heurigen, the new wine season. People celebrate the day with outdoor wine tastings and wine picnics, often accompanied by live music.
• And of course, there’s Thanksgiving. This reminder of the bounty of food, family, and friends is a favorite for Americans.

Community gatherings like these not only celebrate the harvest, they also offer a time of camaraderie and joy. In some cases, this might be the last opportunity to do so before prohibitive winter sets in.

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