As crazy as it may sound, I agree with those fools that show up to their local Board of Education meetings shouting “stop indoctrinating our children!” To be clear, I agree with this statement in the context of the Thanksgiving teachings that we’ve all been victims of, not in regards to the teachings about racism and white supremacy. Let’s digest the facts about the holiday that has been terribly mistaught.
According to The New York Times, the Mayflower did bring English settlers to the land which they renamed Plymouth, Massachusetts. This arrival, often referred to as a “discovery of land,” was actually an invasion of land inhabited by Native Americans. The Native Americans had been on that land for centuries before it was ruthlessly taken from them by ignorant, white assholes known as colonizers.
There was, in fact, a feast but instead of “feasting” as we know it today, the settlers actually fasted, raising questions about whether or not this meal was truly the “first Thanksgiving.” Despite this fact, there was some food present which was, obviously, supplied by the Native Americans as the white assholes didn’t come prepared with a Thanksgiving feast. They came with the intention of claiming land and selling Native Americans into slavery which was easy for them to achieve due to the Native Americans becoming ill. How did they become ill? Well, although the white assholes did not bring a Thanksgiving feast with them, they did bring foreign illnesses that infected and killed the Native Americans at extremely high rates.
Unsurprisingly, the colonizers did not “invite” the Native Americans to their feast, an image that has been ingrained within our minds thanks to the narrative we’ve been fed by schools. Ousamequin, leader of the Wampanoag Tribe, had declared an alliance with the colonizers, so Native Americans showed up to the feast to honor the alliance.
From then on, white people have celebrated Thanksgiving with their impression of the holiday in mind, while most Native Americans take this holiday to mourn the day their land was stolen from them, provoking decades of brutality and maltreatment.
So, if you clicked on this article in hopes of finding a “happy Thanksgiving” message, I suggest you return to Facebook where there are plenty of those because you won’t find one here. Instead, I am taking today to highlight some inspirational Indigenous people and Two-spirits.
Geo Socomah Neptune (they/them)
Geo Socomah Neptune, part of the Passamaquoddy tribe from Maine, is a popular Two-Spirit helping to explain the meaning and history behind the term “Two-Spirit.” They share that “the term was intentionally introduced by Native people with the goal of finding common ground and helping educate about traditional teachings in a contemporary context.” Neptune, a Two-Spirit themself, points out that while many define Two-Spirit as a “sexual orientation, a gender identity, a spiritual identity, or a societal role,” the term actually connects all four of those parts into one intersectional identity. Aside from educating the public on Two-Spirits, they are also a master basket maker and drag performer in Maine. At the age of 20, Neptune was designated master basket maker, a huge accomplishment as they are the youngest person to be titled this in the tribe’s recent history. Additionally, Neptune made headlines for being the first openly transgender person to be elected to a school board in Maine. I am thankful for the education Geo Socomah Neptune provides us with.
Neebinnaukzhik Southall (they/them)
Part of the Anishinaabe tribe, Neebinnaukzhik Southall uses their graphic design, photography, and writing skills to promote Indigenous themes within museums, cultural organizations, and magazines. Southall identifies as a Two-Spirit, explaining that they embody both masculine and feminine energies within one body. They work endlessly to highlight Indigenous issues through the LGBTQIA+ platform to bring visibility and awareness to their community. I am thankful for the intersectionality Neebinnaukzhik Southall fosters by bringing an array of social groups together under one accepting whole.
Lance Tsosie (he/him)
Lance Tsosie, a part of the Navajo Nation, is a well-known Dinè (the term that the Navajo people call themselves) activist on Tik Tok under the username @modern_warrior_. Tsosie frequently sheds light on modern-day Indigenous issues to his 2.9 million followers on Tik Tok, including exposing those that disrespect Native American garb by dressing in it for Halloween, sorority/fraternity parties, or most recently, a math class lesson. He calmly begins most of his Tik Toks with “Hey colonizer…” before making bold statements such as “we are not costumes” and enlightening us all on his heritage. As one of the few content creators on Tik Tok that discusses colonization and racism, Tsosie has no plans to stop creating. I am thankful for the work Lance Tsosie does to make Tik Tok a more informed and welcoming environment.
On this Thanksgiving and all those to come, remember these facts and continue to honor, respect, and learn from those we stole from.
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