Thanksgiving and Turkey — The Hidden History and Legacy of Silence

Thanksgiving events

Every year on the fourth Thursday of November, the entire United States is filled with a festive atmosphere centered around family gatherings. The golden-brown turkey, corn, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie that grace the bountiful table are not just food but are considered symbols of the pioneering spirit and survival of ancestors. In front of the White House, the president conducts a live ceremony in which he pardons two turkeys, explaining that this symbolizes the "spirit of mercy and gratitude." This beautiful and peaceful scene outwardly appears to be a symbol that best represents the identity and tradition of Americans. However, behind the origins of this Thanksgiving lies a long-silenced story. This day of sharing warm thanks is, in fact, a day that evokes memories of lost homelands and massacres for some.

How did Thanksgiving Day begin?

The origin of Thanksgiving dates back to 1620. The Pilgrims, fleeing religious persecution, sailed to the New World on the Mayflower. Their original destination was the Virginia area, but they ended up in Massachusetts due to a miscalculated route. It was November, the start of a harsh winter, and the settlers were ill-prepared with food and fuel. As a result, more than half of the passengers perished during the first winter. Those who helped them were the Wampanoag tribe, a Native American community. They taught the settlers how to grow and store corn and hunting techniques, aiding their survival, and thanks to them, the Pilgrims were able to celebrate the joy of harvest the following year. In gratitude, in 1621, they invited the Native Americans to a three-day feast, which is recorded as the beginning of Thanksgiving. The turkey, corn, and pumpkin became symbols of this day because they were the first crops harvested at that time. This story is well-known, appearing in American elementary school textbooks, and has long been discussed as a "model of gratitude." However, what happened afterward? This moment of peaceful coexistence between the Native Americans and settlers is just a fragment of history, and the overall context took a very different direction.

The end of gratitude, the beginning of betrayal

After the peaceful banquet of 1621, English settlers gradually expanded their settlements in North America. As 50 years passed, the scale of the colonies grew, which led to escalating conflicts with the Native Americans. In 1675, tensions between settlers and Native Americans peaked and the King Philip's War broke out. The chief of the Wampanoag tribe, Metacom, was known by the English name "King Philip," and this war is recorded as one of the last stands of the Native Americans. The outcome was devastating. Settlers burned towns, killed Native American warriors, and destroyed communities. The surviving women and children were sent to the West Indies to be enslaved, and they would never set foot on their ancestral land again. It was the Wampanoag tribe that had helped the settlers they were so grateful for. While this scene is often omitted or downplayed in the official history of the United States, the memory of that day has not been erased among the descendants of Native Americans today.

Path of Forced Migration, 'Journey of Tears'

In the 19th century, the U.S. government began to forcibly remove Native Americans from their lands. The Indian Removal Act, enacted in 1830, was a law that forced Native Americans living in the eastern regions to relocate west of the Mississippi River. The Cherokee tribe was one of the most notable victims. They were a highly organized community with agriculture, a written language, and even a constitution, but the greed of white landowners was indifferent to their level of civilization. From 1838 to 1839, the Cherokee were compelled to undertake a 4,000-kilometer journey on foot. During this process, thousands died from cold, disease, and starvation, a tragedy that became known as the Trail of Tears. Even more tragic is the fact that during this forced relocation, the hymn sung by the Cherokee was Amazing Grace. Having already converted to Christianity, the song they prayed to amid tears and death was one favored by white people. Thus, a song of gratitude resonated in the most brutal moments.

Existence fades away, leaving only the name.

Today, many of the symbolic weapons of the U.S. military borrow names from Native American tribes. Examples include the Apache helicopter, Tomahawk missile, and Cherokee SUV. Ironically, these names belong to tribes that were massacred or displaced by the U.S. government and military in the past. While their languages, cultures, and spirits were erased, their names have survived as weapons and commercial products. This may appear to be another colonial act that appropriates names while erasing the substance of existence. A more symbolic case is Mount Rushmore. This monument is a massive mountain sculpture featuring the faces of four U.S. presidents, including the first president, George Washington, symbolizing American democracy and territorial expansion. However, this mountain was originally a sacred site for the Sioux tribe. The government seized this sacred site and carved their idols on it. In contrast, the Sioux tribe began carving a massive sculpture of their hero, Crazy Horse. This sculpture remains unfinished, and Native Americans are fundraising and creating it themselves. This statue is not just a rock it is a silent resistance against historical distortion and a struggle to avoid being forgotten.

What will we remember?

Thanksgiving is a meaningful day for humans to express gratitude to nature and others. However, if this day is merely consumed as an event to roast turkey and wait for shopping sales, its spirit can be said to be distorted. Moreover, if the origins of this day are entangled in the history of someone’s hospitality and someone’s betrayal, we must remember the context surrounding it. The Puritans survived their first year thanks to the Native Americans, and 50 years later, the Native Americans were massacred. The Cherokee tribe was expelled from their land despite converting to Christianity, and their songs echoed through tears. The Sioux fought fiercely to protect their territory, but ultimately, the face of a white president was carved into their sacred land. All of this history lies within the identity of America. It is not a story of victory for one side. On Thanksgiving, we must remember the names of those who first shared that day’s food and the history of those who thereafter disappeared. Only then can the 'gratitude' we convey hold authenticity. The turkey is a bird that cannot fly. However, history must not be allowed to fly away. When we can speak the hidden names, Thanksgiving can become a mirror reflecting not just a festival of the past, but also where we stand today.