Thanksgiving

When the fourth Thursday in November rolls around, Americans gather around their dinner tables, appetites in tow, to re-live the 1621 Plymouth feast. It’s a celebration of the country’s Pilgrim ancestors, who escaped religious persecution in England by sailing to Plymouth. The character of Squanto, for instance, is portrayed in Thanksgiving stories as a kind-hearted indigenous translator who shared helpful farming tips with the Europeans. But what most stories fail to mention is how bleak Squanto’s life really was. But this year, mainstream media organizations like Buzzfeed and the National Geographic Channel are confronting the myths surrounding Thanksgiving. The four-hour Saints & Strangers miniseries is National Geographic’s attempt to go “beyond the familiar historical account of Thanksgiving”. Some other countries are also questioning how to remember their colonial past. On May 26, Australia observes National Sorry Day, which commemorates the aboriginal children who were taken from their homes to be “re-educated” with Western culture.