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Thanksgiving is Off the Table

   By Joshua Arce

The Traditional Storyline Doesn’t Align with the Truth.

Thanksgiving is a time for family, gratitude, and abundance — marked by shared meals, football games, and familiar traditions. While many Americans gather around their tables each November, few, if any,  stop to reflect on the deeper story behind the holiday or the diverse perspectives that shape its meaning today.

Thanksgiving has become synonymous with turkey, parades, and shopping sprees that start before the dishes are even cleared. The spirit of gratitude remains, but it’s often overshadowed by commercialism and the rush toward  Black Friday sales. Somewhere along the way, the opportunity to reflect, connect, and give thanks with understanding can be lost.

So what does Thanksgiving really mean, and what might it look like if we sought to honor the full truth behind the day?

It’s Complicated

The story most of us learned in school, of Pilgrims and Wampanoag people sharing a peaceful feast, tells only a small part of the truth. While there were moments of cooperation, history soon turned toward conflict, displacement, and the devastating loss of Native lands and lives.

For many Native Americans, Thanksgiving is not a celebration, but a reminder of survival amid centuries of injustice. Each year in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Native people and allies gather for the National Day of Mourning — a time to honor ancestors, remember the true history of colonization, and reaffirm Indigenous resilience.

Wampanoag leader Frank “Wamsutta” James was originally invited to speak at the 1970 Thanksgiving Day celebration marking the 350th anniversary of the Mayflower’s arrival. His invitation was rescinded due to the challenging truths in his speech. He later gathered with his supporters and shared his speech:

History wants us to believe that the Indian was a savage, illiterate, uncivilized animal. A history that was written by an organized, disciplined people, to expose us as an unorganized and undisciplined entity. Two distinctly different cultures met. One thought they must control life; the other believed life was to be enjoyed, because nature decreed it. Let us remember, the Indian is and was just as human as the white man. The Indian feels pain, gets hurt, and becomes defensive, has dreams, bears tragedy and failure, suffers from loneliness, needs to cry as well as laugh. He, too, is often misunderstood.

Wamsutta challenged myths that have long shaped the Thanksgiving narrative, reminding us that the Native story is one of resilience and humanity.

Resilience Through Generations

Even in the face of displacement, broken treaties, and systemic oppression, Native communities continue to endure and adapt. Wamsutta reflected on this ongoing determination:

“Our spirit refuses to die. Yesterday we walked the woodland paths and sandy trails. Today we must walk the macadam highways and roads. We are uniting. We’re standing not in our wigwams but in your concrete tent. We stand tall and proud, and before too many moons pass we’ll right the wrongs we have allowed to happen to us.”

Native peoples have survived centuries of upheaval, preserving language, traditions, and knowledge. Wamsutta also noted:

“We forfeited our country. Our lands have fallen into the hands of the aggressor. We have allowed the white man to keep us on our knees. What has happened cannot be changed, but today we must work towards a more humane America, a more Indian America, where men and nature once again are important; where the Indian values of honor, truth, and brotherhood prevail.”

Across Native communities, gratitude remains a deeply rooted cultural value, expressed in daily acts of care, reciprocity, and respect for the earth. Giving thanks is not confined to a single day, but woven into a way of life.

For many non-Native families, Thanksgiving focuses on abundance and togetherness. For Native people, it is also a moment of reflection: acknowledging loss, celebrating resilience, and recommitting to traditions that have endured against all odds.

Wamsutta’s words continue to inspire resilience today:

“You, the white man, are celebrating an anniversary. We, the Wampanoags, will help you celebrate in the concept of a beginning. It was the beginning of a new life for the Pilgrims. Now, 350 years later it is a beginning of a new determination for the original American: the American Indian.”

 More than 50 years have passed since this speech was written. Are we any closer to a more humane America today? Where does the determination of American Indians stand today?

Living Heritage, Not History

Native heritage is not something of the past. It is lived every day through determination, care, and cultural practice. Across Indian Country, Native-led programs strengthen culture, food sovereignty, education, and self-determination.

At Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA), we see this daily. From supporting students pursuing higher education to delivering essential supplies and fostering food sovereignty, our work reflects the resilience, knowledge, and vision that have always existed within Native communities. Heritage is lived through leadership, preservation, and cultural transmission.

By supporting Native-led solutions, we ensure that Native traditions, values, and communities continue to thrive, not just be remembered.

This Thanksgiving, we invite you to celebrate in a way that embraces both gratitude and truth:

The real Thanksgiving begins when gratitude becomes action — when we not only give thanks, but also give support to those whose heritage, land, and stories have shaped this nation. By honoring Native resilience and remembering the full story behind the holiday, we can build a more compassionate and inclusive future — one rooted in respect, partnership, and shared humanity.