Not that I have many Thanksgiving Day traditions... The TV did not even get turned on to show the Macy's big floaty balloons or the freezing cold celebrities!
I did gather with friends, share food and express gratitude, but not for the original reasons that the great turkey day was created. Who really continues to give thanks for the pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock? And, if there are still those who do, how about all those Native American lives lost, traditions lost after they saved our ancestors from starvation. Is it politically correct to continue to celebrate the holiday for the reasons it was created or should we evolve our ideals to recognize what really happened and show gratitude surrounded by humility for the devastation our ancestors caused the ones who lived on this land that we now inhabit.
As for the new way to celebrate...
This year, on Friday after the feast, Christian and I drove 5 hours to the Olympic Peninsula where we stayed on the Quileute reservation for two nights. So, from now on it is my hopes to show some support for the Natives Americans for my Thanksgiving Day celebrations.
I will say that it was quite a relaxing time on the reservation. Very quiet! It was a small 'camper cabin' that we stayed in complete with a wood burning stove, a fridge, a table, a double bed, small bathroom with no shower or hot water, a kitchenette &, Christian's favorite feature, a loft with 3 twin mattresses. We were just steps away from the ocean, the beach lining it covered in beautiful driftwood. Unfortunately it was too overcast to really see the horizon yet it was amazing none the less.
We did not have too much time so we left without getting much interaction with tribe members. There was this one young lady, however, who worked at the desk in the 'resort' office. (The word 'resort' does not accurately describe the lodgings as far as American standards but that is what the called it) This woman had spent many years off the reservation at boarding school in Salem but recently moved back to live with her grandfather. She briefly explained to me that she used to drum but has hung up her drum and no longer plays.
The Quileutes are the oldest known tribe of the Pacific Northwest with lineage dating back to the ice age. Due to the remote location & the 115+ inches of annual rainfall, the Quileutes were never forced to leave their lands. Both facts I found very intersesting! They were great hunters of whales & other sea mammals. Their canoe design was mimicked in the design of the modern Clipper Ship hull. A Quileute canoe was even fitted with a mast and sail then sailed around the world. How cool?!
I hope to go back so that I may get to know more of the Quileute culture but most importantly, I would love to do a part, no matter how small, to support a people who is part of a disappearing society.
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