The Misconception of Thanksgiving

Today's political climate has made it so many traditions and holidays have become a topic of controversy. Many of these controversies are not without merit, but it would seem as though history and a lack of proper education has misguided those arguing for or against either side. Thanksgiving is no exception to this. To some, Thanksgiving is a time to bring people together. To love your family, your friends, and have a feast. To others, Thanksgiving is a symbol of colonization. It symbolizes the oppression of the Native American people, and such ideas should be considered taboo. It is easy to see why each side of the argument feels so strongly about the holiday, and it's easy to see where both sides have merit in their arguments. With this in mind, however, both sides have been fairly misguided. In this article I will be talking about the actual origins of Thanksgiving, and hopefully be teaching a handful of people as well.

It's often taught, in American schools, that the "first Thanksgiving" happened in 1621. It was, supposedly, the gathering of pilgrims and Native Americans to partake in the bounty of the harvest. This is where both arguments really begin to come into play. To some, this was a moment of purity. It highlighted a better future, and pilgrims shared their thanks with the Native Americans by offering up a feast that would bring them all together. On the other hand, however, this was only the beginning. Pilgrims and European settlers would inevitably end up stealing Native lands and slaughtering Native people. While the "first Thanksgiving" and the events thereafter are undeniable truths, it is far from the actual origins of Thanksgiving as a whole. As a matter of fact, the idea of Thanksgiving had been happening for thousands of years prior. Celebration of the fall harvest was nothing new in ancient cultures, with great civilizations such as the Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans holding festivals for the occasion.

The Greeks celebrated a festival known as Thesmophoria. This was a religious festival dedicated to the goddesses Demeter and Persephone, and was held either when seeds were sewn in late Autumn or when the harvest happened. This was also one of the most widely celebrated Greek festivals of the time, and it was a celebration of human & agricultural fertility. It's also worth noting that celebration of this festival was strictly for women. Men were actually forbidden to see or hear about the festival rites. The festival typically lasted roughly three days, with activities ranging from ritualistic sacrifice and fasting to simple prayers to the gods. A far cry from the traditions we partake in for Thanksgiving today, to be sure.

The Egyptians celebrated with the Min Festival. Min was Egypt's god of fertility regarding animals and vegetation. The festival itself seemed to have taken many different forms. One source claims there were ritual feasts, and statues of Min were carried throughout the agricultural fields to promote growth over the coming months. Other sources claim that the festival related less to agricultural pursuits and had more to do with celebrating the rule of the Pharaoh. While the festival itself is confirmed to have existed, it seems as though information on it is varied and quite difficult to come by.

The Romans also celebrated the harvest. Their festival was known as Ceralia, and it was held for seven days towards the end of April. Ceralia was dedicated to the goddess Ceres who was a deity tied to agriculture and more specifically grain. In this celebration, the Romans would tie torches to the tails of five foxes and set them free in the Circus Maximus, although the reasoning for this is ultimately unknown. The Romans also hosted public games during the festival known as The Ludi Ceriales. These games would range from horse races to mock hunts done within the Circus.

Perhaps one of the most obscure inspirations is the ancient Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. Sukkot, however, bares some of the most striking resemblances to our modern day Thanksgiving. The first day of Sukkot is filled with prayer and meals. Unlike our Thanksgiving, however, Sukkot is a seven day celebration. This holiday is also celebrated by various Christian denominations. Particularly those that recognize holidays from The Bible's Old Testament. This notion here is actually why I believe that Sukkot was very likely the actual inspiration for Thanksgiving. Given the first pilgrims were Puritans, and also sent to the Americas because of their religious beliefs, a festival such as Sukkot would have likely been recognized and celebrated.

It is also worth noting that Sukkot is one of the most well documented examples listed thus far. The customs of Sukkot are well documented and even practiced by those of the Jewish faith today. While I won't go into every detail about Sukkot here, I do heavily encourage reading about the festival on your own time. It was very interesting to learn about, and has a lot more in depth information.

It wouldn't be until 1789 that George Washington made Thanksgiving into an official holiday recognized by the US constitution. With this in mind, however, it still wasn't the holiday we have come to recognize. The original holiday was set to be on November 26th as compared to our current tradition of the last Thursday of November. The current tradition was actually set in place in 1863 by Abraham Lincoln. This was met with a small hiccup by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 when he tried to change the holiday to the 23rd of November, but it was later reverted to the way Lincoln envisioned it after much backlash from the American people.

Unlike the festivals of old, Thanksgiving today has become a one day affair. While poor education highlights the idea of American colonization, the holiday has religious roots dating back far earlier than even the discovery of the continent. What we do have, however, is a time to come together. To see your loved ones. To make merry with those closest to you. To be thankful for what you have, and to celebrate the oncoming future. It is my hope that I have helped teach something here. The real origins of Thanksgiving, and not what most Americans are wrongly shown in school. Go forth, and spread education in your own way as well. Teach people to be better, and teach people to do better.