Thanksgiving and Native American Artists

The American national holiday where most gather to feast on delicious traditional stuffed turkey and creamy mashed potatoes is just around the corner. Each year it is also a remembrance to the families and communities of Native Americans who share the history of the celebration. The first Thanksgiving lasted three days and was a banquet of unionizing the Wampanoag tribe and the Pilgrims who arrived from the Mayflower seeking a new life and work in America. On November 23, 1621, when there was roasted corn and vegetables, the Pilgrims betrayed the Wampanoag tribe by stealing their food, land and spreading diseases to the Native Americans.

Checking out Indigenous artists’ work during this year’s Native American Heritage Month is an amazing way to show support for the community. Published this year, Leah Myers’ memoir “Thinning Blood” speaks on how growing up Native American and the trials and tribulations of the possibility of being the last member of her family to qualify in her tribe. Myers writes her poetry in the form of a totem, each pillar is dedicated to an important woman in her life. In this heart wrenching book there are elements of folklore, growing up and finding one’s true identity.

For the people who want to immerse themselves in a fantasy novel this autumn, “To Shape A Dragon’s Breath,” by Monique Blackgoose tells the story of a young Indigenous woman in the 19th century who learns to adapt and overcome her school’s racist and colonial environment. “To Shape a Dragons Breath” is just the beginning for Blackgoose’s Nampeshiweisit series where beasts and mythical creatures are met at every page.

Hulu dramedy, Reservation Dogs takes place in Eastern Oklhoma where a teenage group of delinquents go about their day to day lives robbing and saving money to begin a rejuvenated life in their dreamy, romanticized California. This gem of a show targets the soul with its themes of grief and healing with a dash of laughter. It is a perfect binge-watch for this Thanksgiving break with friends and family.