“The Truth about Thanksgiving” is the first installment of a series we’re calling “Lies your teacher taught you”. In this episode we sit down with Matika and her 13-year-old nephew to teach about the true history of European and Native contact. As this episode is with a new teenager, we wanted to show that this is not a hard conversation to have, and most people do not want to be lied to - which is what rehashing the myth does. Ultimately, it stems from a limited perspective of history. The Thanksgiving myth that many Americans have been taught is that, upon arrival, the pilgrims were met with happy Indians who taught them how to tend the land and they had a great feast to celebrate. This whole concept was taken from one paragraph of one settler’s journal. Most of what we know about Thanksgiving is invented and packaged in easy-to-digest bites. This convenient story allows for the avoidance of discomfort for people with settler ancestries. The path to reconciliation starts with honest acknowledgement of our past, with open eyes, and open hearts for a better future. It is time for us to be in good relation with one another. We can do that by learning to give thanks in a good way.

Follow us on Instagram @amrpodcast, or support our work on Patreon. Show notes are published on our website, Allmyrelationspodcast.com. Matika's book Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America is available now! T'igwicid and Hyshqe for being on this journey with us.

Lies Your Teacher Taught You: The Truth About Thanksgiving