The first Thanksgiving was made up. Abraham Lincoln used the theme of pilgrims and Indians eating happily together because he was trying to calm things down during the Civil War when people were divided. The Wampanock tribe, who assisted in their planting of corn, celebrated by shooting guns into the air over plymeth. So that is how she said the first Thanksgiving started. Of course, we have spun it into a tidier narrative of pilgrims and Native Americans getting along, but it was not quite that sweet.
Loosen your belts and tuck a napkin under your chin because feasting season is here. Katherine Spiers -- journalist, food anthropologist and host of the wondrous culinary history podcast Smart Mouth -- lets Alie belly up for a buffet of questions about winter gatherings, Thanksgiving myths, stuffed peacocks, green bean casseroles, potato backstories, Friendsgivings, the hazards of deep frying, the eels of Jesus, some stuffing horrors and more.
Listen to Smart Mouth (perhaps the episodes with Alie "Lobster Roll" Ward & Steven Ray "Corndogs" Morris?)
Katherine Spiers's website, Twitter & Instagram. Her brand new podcast network is TableCakes.
Special thanks to poet and writer Kenzie Allen (@cerena on Twitter) for the insight & resources on Native perspectives of Thanksgiving.
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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