As the great crucible of American history now welcomes the relief of cool-down, we begin to see more clearly what is really left after the chaos of rapid boil. As the Bunsen of raw emotion and survival instinct dies away, we are finally freed to analyze our very personal lab results. Whether individual analysis is honest or not, no other American holiday holds more potential for healthy retrospect of the great social experiment that we are than our beloved Thanksgiving.
Touted the “All-American” holiday almost from its inception in 1863, the notion went unchallenged until the mid 1900’s. As an avid Thanksgiving history and living history enthusiast I can knowledgeably own and admit that the modern challenge has been warranted: our traditional holiday observance has been Euro-centric to a fault, however unwitting the intention.
Slow as we may be to embrace it, America has been, and still is a melting pot of racial and cultural diversity. And since our very constitution declares all men are created equal, in only makes sense that in time we would allow our real history and early cultural mix to be included in our “All-American” Thanksgiving observances.
Which is why I am so supportive of our new federally recognized holiday, Native American Heritage Day, which will follow on the day after Thanksgiving annually from this year forward.
From my personal perspective as a voluntary student of history, I view this calendar addition as a catalyst for bringing Americans up to date where our Thanksgiving traditions are concerned. Where some have hotly argued the origins and history with our Native Peoples, this new observance assures American Indians will get a calm and unfettered chance at the holiday mic.
As a result I anticipate over time that Native American Heritage Day will actually help facilitate the mellowing of our animosities by diminishing the need for protest. As it becomes an increasingly friendly and constructive platform for cultural exchange with our Native Peoples, I cannot imagine anything but a collective move toward healthy history analysis and resulting adjustment to holiday observances.
So it is with a unique sense of holiday thanks-giving this year that I offer my deepest congratulations to Frank Suniga who worked tirelessly for eight years to get the new holiday on the calendar; and I send warmest congratulations to all of Native America – I look forward to talking with you more, to learning about you, and to dispelling the myths that have hindered our American mindset. We will all be the better for this welcome holiday addition.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
Carrie Franzwa is the founder of America’s Thanksgiving Time Travel alternative, and author of seven K-8 education titles. Together with her family she teaches Thanksgiving living history as an at-home holiday hobby through books, public demonstrations, and through her website at http://ideasthanksgiving.com
[Permission is granted for reproduction of this article so long as full credits are included.]
Tags: a thanksgiving message, native american heritage day, special thanksgiving message, thanksgiving history, thanksgiving message, thanksgiving traditions
Tags: a thanksgiving message, native american heritage day, special thanksgiving message, thanksgiving history, thanksgiving message, thanksgiving traditions
Posted November 3, 2009 by Admin under Blog
