by Samantha Maltais, Aquinnah Wampanoag
“Hearken to Native individuals. Be taught each side of your celebrated historical past. Do the laborious 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 will someday 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 elements of the world or the legacies that historical past left behind in tribal communities. By persevering with to have fun 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 right this moment.
“…the story casts indigenous individuals as prepared 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 with a view to painting American expansions as magnificent as a substitute of the cruel invasion that it was.” — Lawrence (Northern Paiute — Pyramid Lake)
You might be questioning, “Why can’t we go away the previous previously?” or assume to your self one thing alongside the strains of, “Recover from it.” My response is that this: Those self same sentiments that attempted to get rid of 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 In 2005, the Massachusetts legislature repealed a 330-year-old legislation banning Native People from coming into Boston. Sure, 2005. Simply this 12 months 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 sport on our ancestral homelands, a chance that would supply a lot wanted funding for Tribal companies and packages.
“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 have fun that historical past, not one which celebrates a lie.” — Nameless (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe)
In the present day, 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 is just not by likelihood. It’s a testomony to Indigenous resilience and the sacrifices and compromises made by our ancestors. And, whereas Tribes battle to reclaim elements of our pasts, People proceed to have fun 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 gained’t counsel all of us cease celebrating Thanksgiving as a time for gratitude, household and meals. We will even hold the identify if you happen to’d like, however we’ve got 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 this planet.
“Perceive that not everybody on this nation is ready to have fun this second in historical past with you. We do stay up for a day the place an sincere have 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 this planet, most residing within the Amazon rainforest, however they’re beneath growing assault. Loggers, miners, and ranchers look to invade their lands, whereas missionaries search to pressure 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 eliminate us. They got here and colonized however the course of by no means ended…” But, the explanation is so simple as it’s acquainted: the theft of Place of birth and sources. Whereas the lives and livelihoods of uncontacted Tribes develop extra threatened each day, People are celebrating the parable of Thanksgiving, beneath the misguided presumption that contact is a time for sharing and gratitude fairly than violence and mourning.
“It’s nearly 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 sources, 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 is not going to have fun COVID-19. There gained’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 identical tone, this identical 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 may additionally mark the start of a brand new perspective on what that historical past actually means. It may mark the tip of celebrating historic mistruths and as a substitute supporting Indigenous Peoples of their battle to reclaim what was and continues to be stolen.
Initially revealed November 26, 2020
