by Samantha Maltais, Aquinnah Wampanoag
“Hearken to Native individuals. Be taught either side of your celebrated historical past. Do the exhausting work of abolition to assist heal our nations.” — Richard Archambault (Standing Rock Sioux and Muscogee Creek)
Most everybody has heard the story of the Mayflower — how the Pilgrims got here to the “New World,” fleeing non secular persecution, and planted the seeds that may sooner or later flip into the American Dream. What most individuals don’t hear about, nonetheless, are the centuries of genocide that adopted and the wars waged in opposition to Native Peoples, that killed as much as 90% of the Indigenous inhabitants. They don’t hear concerning the continued colonization nonetheless occurring in components of the world or the legacies that historical past left behind in tribal communities. By persevering with to rejoice the Mayflower’s colonial historical past every Thanksgiving, we ignore the reality of what occurred right here, the trauma and tragedy that adopted and continues at present.
“…the story casts indigenous individuals as keen and useful assistants, however by no means equals. This brazen retelling of occasions lays the groundwork for the massacres and compelled relocations of the unique inhabitants of this nation in an effort to painting American expansions as magnificent as an alternative of the cruel invasion that it was.” — Lawrence (Northern Paiute — Pyramid Lake)
You might be questioning, “Why can’t we depart the previous previously?” or suppose to your self one thing alongside the traces of, “Recover from it.” My response is that this: Those self same sentiments that attempted to eradicate Tribal Nations not too way back are nonetheless embedded in our legal guidelines and insurance policies. In 2005, the Massachusetts legislature repealed a 330-year-old regulation banning Native People from coming into Boston. Sure, 2005. Simply this yr the Trump Administration moved to dissolve the Mashpee Wampanoag reservation altogether within the midst of the COVID-19 world pandemic. In the meantime, the Aquinnah Wampanoag nonetheless battle for his or her proper to recreation on our ancestral homelands, a possibility that would supply a lot wanted funding for Tribal providers and applications.
“You’d do nicely to recollect who helped the Pilgrims survive, to recollect our collective obligations to Indigenous treaties and to honor these agreements and rejoice that historical past, not one which celebrates a lie.” — Nameless (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe)
Right this moment, Native Nations throughout the U.S. are nonetheless reclaiming what colonialism stole: sovereignty, land, tradition, language, and a lot extra. The Wampanoag and different Native Peoples are nonetheless right here, and our survival isn’t by probability. It’s a testomony to Indigenous resilience and the sacrifices and compromises made by our ancestors. And, whereas Tribes battle to reclaim components of our pasts, People proceed to rejoice the very colonization that stole our futures.
“It means the start of the tip of tribal sovereignty and land stewardship. Together with many, many different losses.” — Nicole (Standing Rock Hunkpapa Lakota)
Now, I received’t recommend all of us cease celebrating Thanksgiving as a time for gratitude, household and meals. We will even preserve the title when you’d like, however now we have to cease appearing prefer it’s based mostly on this romantic origin story about cultural sharing. It’s not, and till we unpack America’s mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples, and the dangerous myths that emerged from erasing half of a historical past, we will’t start to deal with the tragedies colonialism left behind or perceive why it’s being repeated elsewhere on the earth.
“Perceive that not everybody on this nation is ready to rejoice this second in historical past with you. We do look ahead to a day the place an trustworthy take a look at historical past and an try at understanding and reconciliation will deliver therapeutic and peace.” — Brian (Delaware)
We should additionally acknowledge the devastation of colonial contact as a result of it’s nonetheless occurring as an equally lethal genocide continues elsewhere. There are over 100 uncontacted Tribes on the earth, most dwelling within the Amazon rainforest, however they’re underneath rising assault. Loggers, miners, and ranchers look to invade their lands, whereas missionaries search to power contact and governments help and abet of their destruction. That is no accident. Brazil’s President Bolsonaro “declared battle” on Indigenous Peoples and within the phrases of Kamutaja, a member of the Ãwa tribe in Brazil: “We can not die like this. We can not let the colonizers do away with us. They got here and colonized however the course of by no means ended…” But, the rationale is so simple as it’s acquainted: the theft of Place of birth and assets. Whereas the lives and livelihoods of uncontacted Tribes develop extra threatened on daily basis, People are celebrating the parable of Thanksgiving, underneath the misguided presumption that contact is a time for sharing and gratitude fairly than violence and mourning.
“It’s just about a miracle we’re nonetheless right here. We’re the descendants of a Individuals who survived tried genocide- the lack of our Ancestors’ lives, the erasure of our spirituality, tradition, lands, and pure assets, all to a distorted notion of western superiority and a self-declared divine proper to dominate different individuals. We’re painfully conscious that historical past can’t be allowed to repeat itself.” — Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, Aquinnah Wampanoag
400 years from now, we won’t rejoice COVID-19. There received’t be any fireworks or parades or re-enactments of this pandemic. The world will mourn what occurred and the lives that had been misplaced. We should invoke this similar tone, this similar grief, after we replicate on the Mayflower and what it meant and means to so many individuals. 2020 marks extra than simply tragedy and the four-hundredth anniversary of the Mayflower’s arrival on Wampanoag land. It will possibly additionally mark the start of a brand new perspective on what that historical past actually means. It will possibly mark the tip of celebrating historic mistruths and as an alternative supporting Indigenous Peoples of their battle to reclaim what was and continues to be stolen.
Initially revealed November 26, 2020
