2008 Woodie Awards
Thanksgiving Has Come a Long Way Since the Days of the Pilgrims
Kathy Arellano
Issue date: 11/16/05 Section: News
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Though the first North American Thanksgiving is recognized as the one that set the tone for the present feast day, there are many cultures that celebrated harvest festivals around the world. While the Egyptians honored Min, god of vegetation and fertility, the Greeks were busy paying homage to Demeter, goddess of corn. The Roman goddess of corn, Ceres, was given her due in October and in ancient China women baked flat cakes representing the harvest moon.
The average American places little, if any, importance on harvests these days, what with the modern methods of food preservation. In fact, inventors have even given a new spin on the traditional meat-laden holiday with Tofurkey, a meat-free alternative with tofu as the main ingredient.
Politics have also had their way with the holiday. George Washington's idea of Thanksgiving had more to do with a wartime victory celebration. Although Lincoln decreed that Turkey Day would always fall on the fourth Thursday of November, President Roosevelt wanted to stimulate the post-Depression economy by making sure people had plenty of time for Christmas shopping so he moved the date back to the third Thursday. Within two years, though, people were sitting down to turkey on the fourth Thursday.
Thanksgiving is perceived not as a festive holiday by many human-rights groups but rather a celebration of atrocities committed by the Europeans upon the indigenous peoples of the region. Beginning in the 70s, activists and Native American tribes have observed a national day of mourning on the fourth Thursday in November at Plymouth Rock.
So, what did the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians eat for dinner at that long-ago feast?
It certainly wasn't a 20-pound Butterball stuffed with Mrs. Cubbison's and you can be sure there was not a pumpkin pie in sight. No, our ancestors killed and roasted deer and fish and maybe a pheasant, seasoning that rangey meat with wild herbs and serving a dish of reconstituted dried Indian corn on the side.
The average American places little, if any, importance on harvests these days, what with the modern methods of food preservation. In fact, inventors have even given a new spin on the traditional meat-laden holiday with Tofurkey, a meat-free alternative with tofu as the main ingredient.
Politics have also had their way with the holiday. George Washington's idea of Thanksgiving had more to do with a wartime victory celebration. Although Lincoln decreed that Turkey Day would always fall on the fourth Thursday of November, President Roosevelt wanted to stimulate the post-Depression economy by making sure people had plenty of time for Christmas shopping so he moved the date back to the third Thursday. Within two years, though, people were sitting down to turkey on the fourth Thursday.
Thanksgiving is perceived not as a festive holiday by many human-rights groups but rather a celebration of atrocities committed by the Europeans upon the indigenous peoples of the region. Beginning in the 70s, activists and Native American tribes have observed a national day of mourning on the fourth Thursday in November at Plymouth Rock.
So, what did the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians eat for dinner at that long-ago feast?
It certainly wasn't a 20-pound Butterball stuffed with Mrs. Cubbison's and you can be sure there was not a pumpkin pie in sight. No, our ancestors killed and roasted deer and fish and maybe a pheasant, seasoning that rangey meat with wild herbs and serving a dish of reconstituted dried Indian corn on the side.
