Today, as many white people celebrate the colonial Thanksgiving, I am choosing to dedicate the center of my table to the native tribes whose land we stole.
Today, our home cooked meal centers the memories of the Osage tribe and Haudenosauneega Confederacy, who were violently removed from their lands: murdered by my greedy ancestors with narrow minds and cold hearts.
Today, I refuse to participate in any narrative about a “Thanksgiving™” that supports the belief that pilgrims were peaceful or that this day is anything other than white-washing the truth.
Today, I acknowledge my privilege, which has allowed me the luxury of forgetting the real history of the United States for most of my life.
Today, I mourn for those who died on foot at gun point as they were forced to “relocate.”
Today, I commit to saying their names aloud, learning their correct pronunciation and participating in this dark conversation with family members who may wonder why we have invited these names and bones to dinner.
Today, I choose what ancestor I am becoming by serving the memory of these tribes as we raise our glasses at this table and express gratitude for the animals and crops that gave their lives for us to live.
What are you doing today?
Want to find out what land you occupy? Visit: https://native-land.ca/