Do you remember what this holiday is for? I mean beyond the whole turkey thing? Why a turkey? Why not dog? Who are we thanking again?
Before diving too far into this, I should remind people that we celebrate this holiday based on the Puritans landing and nearly starving to death in the early 1620′s. There are documented celebrations of prior thanksgivings by spanish settlers in Fl., and one in TX too. But those didn’t take hold and may not be quite as fantastic. However, when it’s time to talk turkey, let’s hold the thought of the TX thanksgiving that first happened in 1598.
Ah, the Puritans. Before Plymouth Rock so famously landed on us.
After the English had killed off or enslaved all but one of the Pawtucket Natives the Puritans came to American soil famously landing on Plymouth Rock. Supposedly, they found the last remaining Pawtucket man (named Squanto) and because they had ZERO experience in cultivating the abandoned cornfields that were in the region and no knowledge of what else would sustain them in the area, Squanto helped them learn to farm. Squanto supposedly learned their language/taught them to fish/and brokered a peace agreement with a nearby tribe of Wampanoag. So off of 20 acres of corn and Squanto’s willingness to help out a bunch of folks who looked a lot like the people who killed EVERYONE HE KNEW, the Puritans were able to survive and we all learn their story in 4th grade. After surviving their first winter in America, the pilgrims declared a 3 day holiday to give thanks.
So does this mean Thanksgivings day should be dedicated specifically to one man? Squanto? Shouldn’t it be 3 days long?
Squanto
Wait, if this is about surviving the winter, why isn’t this party in spring? Well, we have the celebration in November because that is the end of the harvest. So the celebration takes place after the harvest is done and we all know we have enough food to survive the winter.
Wait, Turkeys? WTF?
Maybe we got the wrong guy?
There is no evidence what so ever that Turkey was served at the first celebration of thanks. The first mention of a turkey in association with thanksgiving comes 22 years after the fact. The wild turkey was certainly available in the area at the time the pilgrims landed but again, nothing suggests it was actually eaten during the initial 3 day celebration. You know that ad where the turkeys on the farm are trying to convince people to eat something else this year? Well, maybe they know what really happened. There are far too many stories about why the turkey came to be associated with the holiday to actually tell you definitively.
Remeber Texas? Here’s a theory completely based on my own speculation. The North American Wild Turkey is actually from Northern Mexico. Texas is awefully close to that area. In fact, if you look at a period map 1598 of TX, things are downright confusing as to where Mexico and TX come together. PERHAPS, we have a bit of tradition co’mingling here between two totally seperate celebrations? Who knows… I know I am about to be tired of turkey so it feels good to write something to remind us why we’re all going to meet family members and eat till we can’t anymore.
Happy Thanksgiving!
