What Are You Celebrating?

Since 1970, Native Americans have gathered at noon on Cole's Hill in Plymouth to commemorate a National Day of Mourning on the US thanksgiving holiday.

Native Americans do not celebrate the arrival of the Pilgrims and other European settlers.

Why is it that Americans perpetuate this fundamental lie? 

Why do Americans teach their children lies? 

What Exactly Are You Celebrating?

Thanksgiving day is nothing more than a harsh reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the relentless assault on Native culture.

Therefore, this is a National Day of Mourning where you should honor Native ancestors and the struggles of Native peoples whom strive to survive today.

It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection as well as a protest of the racism and oppression which Native Americans continue to experience.

The United American Indians of New England (UAINE) organized their protest to bring publicity to the continued misrepresentation of Native American and colonial experience.

They believed that people needed to be educated about what happened when the Pilgrims arrived in North America.

Educate Your Children & Yourself

A century ago heavy immigration brought millions of southern and eastern Europeans to the United States. Educators and civic groups thought it necessary to assimilate the new citizens. The new arrivals were taught to view the Pilgrims as models for their own families. The tale of the “First Thanksgiving” was an essential element of this curriculum. The story of the Native Americans' and Pilgrims' sharing a meal of turkey became part of United States tradition. The story tells of the mutually beneficial relationship between these groups.

The truth is, by contrast; the Pilgrims did not find a new and empty land. Every inch of land they claimed was Indian land. They also say that the Pilgrims immigrated as part of a commercial venture and that they introduced sexism, racism, anti-homosexual bigotry, jails, and the class system.

Governor John Winthrop proclaimed the first official “Day of Thanksgiving” in 1637 to celebrate the return of men that had gone to Mystic, Connecticut to fight against the Pequot, an action that resulted in the deaths of more than 700 Pequot women, children, and men (what their people called massacre).

In 1863, during the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln authorized that the fourth Thursday of November be set aside to give thanks and praise for the nation’s blessings.

This is how Thanksgiving became part of American culture.

UAINE believes that Native American and colonial experience continue to be misrepresented.

It asks why the “First Thanksgiving” was not celebrated or related back to the first colony at Jamestown. (It is because northern culture was more influential at the time, thus celebrating the accomplishments of New England, rather than the South.)

The circumstances at Jamestown were too terrible to be used as a national myth.

Today the UAINE uses the National Day of Mourning to educate people about the history of the Wampanoag people.

UAINE representatives say the only true element of the Thanksgiving story is that the pilgrims would not have survived their first years in New England without the aid of the Wampanoag.

Since 1921 (the 300th year after the first Thanksgiving), the Commonwealth of Massachusetts stages an annual reenactment of Thanksgiving. People gather at a church on the site of the Pilgrims' original meeting house, in 17th century costume. After prayers and a sermon, they march to Plymouth Rock.

The town uses this annual event as a tourist attraction which brings money into the township.

The UNAINE organized the first National Day of Mourning on the 350th anniversary of the Pilgrims' arrival on Wampanoag land. 

Wampanoag leader Frank James (also known as Wamsutta) was invited to make a speech at the celebration. But, when the anniversary planners reviewed his speech in advance, they decided it was not appropriate for the celebration. The reason given was,

"...the theme of the anniversary celebration is brotherhood and anything inflammatory would have been out of place."

Wamsutta based his speech on a Pilgrim's account of the first year on Indian land.

The speech recounted the opening of graves, taking the Indians' corn and bean supplies, and selling Wampanoag as slaves for 220 shillings each.

After receiving a revised speech, written by a public relations person, Wamsutta decided he would not attend the celebration.

To protest this final attempt at silencing of the American Indian people, he and his supporters went to neighboring Coles Hill, near the statue of Massasoit (leader of the Wampanoag when the Pilgrims landed).

The First National Day of Mourning

Overlooking the Plymouth Harbour and the Mayflower replica, Wamsutta gave his speech.

Excerpt from Wamsutta Speech:

I speak to you as a man -- a Wampanoag Man. I am a proud man, proud of my ancestry, my accomplishments won by a strict parental direction:

"You must succeed - your face is a different color in this small Cape Cod community!".

I am a product of poverty and discrimination from these two social and economic diseases. I, and my brothers and sisters, have painfully overcome, and to some extent we have earned the respect of our community. We are Indians first - but we are termed "good citizens."

Sometimes we are arrogant but only because society has pressured us to be so.

It is with mixed emotion that I stand here to share my thoughts. This is a time of celebration for you - celebrating an anniversary of a beginning for the white man in America. A time of looking back, of reflection. It is with a heavy heart that I look back upon what happened to my People.

Even before the Pilgrims landed it was common practice for explorers to capture Indians, take them to Europe and sell them as slaves for 220 shillings apiece. The Pilgrims had hardly explored the shores of Cape Cod for four days before they had robbed the graves of my ancestors and stolen their corn and beans. Mourt's Relation describes a searching party of sixteen men. Mourt goes on to say that this party took as much of the Indians' winter provisions as they were able to carry.

Massasoit, the great Sachem of the Wampanoag, knew these facts, yet he and his People welcomed and befriended the settlers of the Plymouth Plantation. Perhaps he did this because his Tribe had been depleted by an epidemic. Or his knowledge of the harsh oncoming winter was the reason for his peaceful acceptance of these acts. This action by Massasoit was perhaps our biggest mistake. We, the Wampanoag, welcomed you, the white man, with open arms, little knowing that it was the beginning of the end; that before 50 years were to pass, the Wampanoag would no longer be a free people.

What happened in those short 50 years? What has happened in the last 300 years? History gives us facts and there were atrocities; there were broken promises - and most of these centered around land ownership. Among ourselves we understood that there were boundaries, but never before had we had to deal with fences and stone walls. But the white man had a need to prove his worth by the amount of land that he owned. Only ten years later, when the Puritans came, they treated the Wampanoag with even less kindness in converting the souls of the so-called "savages." Although the Puritans were harsh to members of their own society, the Indian was pressed between stone slabs and hanged as quickly as any other "witch." [read entire speech]

Recent Protest

Today, the UNAINE continues leading the National Day of Mourning protest in Plymouth. The son of the founder, Mr. James, participates as well. The more recent protests have been held on Cole's Hill and a location overlooking Plymouth Rock.

The organizers have been joined by other minority activists in protest as well. Typically several hundred protesters appear. The protest general begins at 12:00 noon on Thanksgiving Day with a march through the historic district of Plymouth. All are welcome, but the UNAINE remind participants that this is a day when only the Native people speak about their history and struggles, including contemporary ones.

Speakers are by invitation only, so they enforce their own point of view. Following the march and the speeches, they have a social time.

In 1996 the Latinos for Social Change (Latinas y Latinos por el cambio Social) marched to the Plymouth Commons at the same time the Mayflower Society had their Pilgrim Progress parade, to show support of UAINE. The police rerouted the Pilgrim parade to avoid conflict. In 1997 the Pilgrim Progress parade was held earlier and went undisturbed.

In 1997 those who gathered to commemorate the 28th National Day of Mourning had a more difficult time. State troopers and police met the protesters. Some accounts state that pepper spray was used on children and the elderly. Twenty-five people were arrested on charges ranging from battery on an officer to assembling without a permit. In an effort to avoid another conflict, the state reached a settlement with UNAINE in October 1998. It stated the UNAINE were allowed to march without a permit, as long as they gave the town advanced warning.

The 35th National Day of Mourning was held on Thursday, November 25, 2004, and was dedicated to Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist convicted and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment for first degree murder in the shooting of two FBI agents.

Both Leonard Peltier and Mahtowin Munro strong voices were heard that Day of Mourning
 
Leonard Peltier Statement From Behind Prison Walls

Greetings Brothers and Sisters:

The first thing I want to do is to say "thank you" to the organizers of this important and historical national event. I know of the struggles and sacrifices you have had to make to keep this event alive. Your sacrifice and persistence makes the world a little more aware of us, and our struggles, which continue to this day. I also want to thank those who traveled here to stand alongside us in solidarity. And lastly I want to "thank you" ALL for being the kind of human beings that care enough to take action and who are willing to make a sacrifice to ensure that justice applies to all people.

It is a great honor for me to once again be a part of a gathering such as yours. As an Indigenous person I know first hand what it means to be unwelcome on my own soil. I know first hand of the oppressors' mighty vengeance against those who would take a stand and question their laws. I fought for and protected my people from a government that wanted us dead or assimilated. My only crime is that I did dare to take a stand against what was and still is unjust.

So as you gather here today, I remind you once again to encourage each other in this continuing struggle for justice as you encourage me with your letters and your love. For without your encouragement I would not be able to go on. Your love and encouragement has kept me going through the times when I didn't want to care.

Now it's my turn to encourage you to stay strong when you feel that there is no hope or that you're too tired to continue. You must always remember those who came before us and how they struggled. Remember the teachings handed down to us from generation to generation. Remember all those who are imprisoned because they dared to stand up and challenge oppressive government policies and the continuing injustices we see today.

Despite the distance between us I am here with you today as I have been in the past. And I once again thank you for allowing me to participate in this important and historic event.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Leonard Peltier ..."Gwarth-ee-las"

No Giving Thanks For Colonialism - by Mahtowin Munro

More than 500 people, from all the four directions, braved bitter cold to participate in the 33rd National Day of Mourning in Plymouth, Mass., on Nov. 28. The event is organized annually by United American Indians of New England (UAINE).

Native people from many nations were in attendance, as well as many non-Native supporters, providing a powerful demonstration of unity. The co-leaders of UAINE particularly acknowledged the presence of Palestinian supporters, noting that:

"Their struggle is one with our struggle." 

According to Moonanum James, a Wampanaog and co-leader of UAINE,

"Our very presence frees this land from the lies of the history books, the profiteers and the mythmakers. We will honor all peoples' ancestors in struggle who went before us."

Several of the speakers honored those who had died during the past year. All spoke of the true history of the European settlement of the Americas and the importance of teaching children that truth.

After a speak-out during which many speakers called for freedom for Native political prisoner Leonard Peltier, Day of Mourning participants marched through the streets of Plymouth. During a street rally that blocked traffic on the waterfront by Plymouth Rock, Raul Ruiz (Mexica), part of the Danza Azteca group that led the march, called upon participants to

"crush the rock and all that it represents."

This annual Native American protest of the mythology surrounding the Pilgrims and "Thanksgiving" first occurred in 1970 after an attempt to suppress the truth.

Wamsutta Frank James, an Aquinnah Wampanoag man, had been invited to address a gathering sponsored by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts commemorating the 350th anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims.

Because Wamsutta was going to talk about how the coming of the Pilgrims and other European colonialists brought about the devastation of the Wampanoag and other Native peoples in the northeastern U.S., officials of Massachusetts demanded that he follow a script that they would provide.

Wamsutta refused, and as a result Native and non-Native people gathered in Plymouth and declared U.S. "Thanksgiving Day" a National Day of Mourning. UAINE and their supporters have gathered, in good or bad weather, every year since.

Sadly, the conditions of racism and poverty in Indian Country that prevailed in 1970 continue today. For example, as Moonanum James pointed out,

"Many Native people are forced to choose every winter between heating and eating. As the economy crumbles and social programs are eliminated altogether, these conditions will only worsen."

They honored their Native ancestors and the struggles of Native peoples to survive today.

Will the Protest Ever End?

According to a speech by Moonanum James, Co-Leader of UNAINE, at the 29th National Day of Mourning, November 26, 1998:

Excerpt - Some ask us: Will you ever stop protesting? Some day we will stop protesting: We will stop protesting when the merchants of Plymouth are no longer making millions of dollars off the blood of our slaughtered ancestors.

We will stop protesting when we can act as sovereign nations on our own land without the interference of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and what Sitting Bull called the "favorite ration chiefs."

When corporations stop polluting our mother, the earth.

When racism has been eradicated.

When the oppression of Two-Spirited people is a thing of the past.

We will stop protesting when homeless people have homes and no child goes to bed hungry.

When police brutality no longer exists in communities of color.

We will stop protesting when Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Puerto Rican independentistas and all the political prisoners are free.

Until then, the struggle will continue. [read entire speech]

So now, answer the question; What are you celebrating?

We Live In A Matrix Of Lies

If you forget history, then you are destined to repeat the same mistakes of the past. Truth is always an ongoing struggle, and it’s my personal self-determination to resolve the truth, no matter how popular or unpopular it is. I believe that all relationships are based upon how we handle the truth, because truth is the very fabric; that if we are going to have any type of relationship, it must be woven together. It is the very glue that is going to keep us together. Truth and how we handle it is going to determine if we are going to be a brother or sister.

This nation is drilled by the news media to remember the Holocaust because it’s owned and run by Zionist Jewish interests. Most people have opted into the lies, to keep them promoted. There are things that are not popular to speak about, and if we don’t talk about these things and bring them up into the conscience minds of people where they have at least an avenue or another perspective to hear from and to begin their own independent research.

If we don’t do this, then the lie that is being told today, that was being promoted yesterday will actually go on for another 100 years, and the conditions of this world is not going to change.

The question should be,

Is America better off since the Europeans have been here?

It’s easier to teach fairy tales, it’s easier to teach lies, and it’s easier to teach myths.

The fundamental truth is that the Europeans came to America and made treaties, and broke them; they raped, murdered, robbed and stole this land through deceit and treachery.

The American history books will not tell you this.

I think it’s very important that everyone in the world understand the struggle and plight of others. That is the reason why we are so divided today.  There is a system in place today that is designed to keep the people who have good and tender hearts divided one to another. It uses racism to do it.

In America on the 24th of this month, Americans are going to get together and gorge themselves on turkey, and watch the NFL play football. They will be totally oblivious to the suffering of the natives of this land.

Totally.

It’s a very painful thing to the American Indians, and something we MUST never forget. 

We are living in a matrix of lies.

There has never been a treaty that America have ever kept.

The truth is that when the pilgrims’ came over here, they were dying in the groves, and it was the benevolent kindness of the Indians here in this country that helped them to survive the conditions that the Europeans were faced with in this country.  The Indians were very generous and kind people.

They were raped, robbed, and murdered by the Pilgrims, and after that, they turned around and thanked God for giving them this land. When they say in God we Trust, you must look at the principals…and then, you ask yourself; what God they are talking about.

Don’t defend the lie anymore.

"I say to the American Indians, I mourn with you this week, and I understand your struggle, because I understand your plight."

This is no thanksgiving for me because the truth is so painful.

We all can agree that it would be better not to know so many things than to know so many things that are not so. Those who don't remember the past are condemned to repeat the eleventh grade. So now we see that American history is longer, larger, more various, more beautiful, and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it.

Related Articles

Wamsutta, Wampanoag
A National Day Of  Mourning
A  Day In Remembrance

References:

"United American Indians of New England". Uaine.org. http://www.uaine.org/, "First National Day of Mourning” Held in Plymouth. Mass Moments. 2005-01- http://massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=340   Pilgrim Hall Museum, Speech by Moonanum James, Co-Leader of United American Indians of New England at the 29th National Day of Mourning, November 26, 1998, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond (1997), "Death by Disease" by Ann F. Ramenofsky in "Archaeology" (March/April 1992), Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick (2006)