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Native Americans and Thanksgiving

A couple of years ago I wrote the first of a series of novels set in New Amsterdam in C17th Manhattan. As Thanksgiving is a very important part of American Heritage, I wrote two blogs highlighting the popular historical events and sentiments surrounding this festive occasion. In the course of my extensive research into this historical era I came across a magazine called Indian Country Today, a weekly e-paper that brings news of interest and importance to the First Nation of the USA. Today's edition carries an article of the events of Thanksgiving seen through the eyes of the natives who inhabited the New World long before European explorers discovered America. It makes for interesting reading on this day of all days. Find the article with this link  https://tinyurl.com/ybr2n6ac To read my novel, the Love of Money, set in the 17th century beginnings of Dutch Manhattan, later to become New York, please go to this link https://tinyurl.com/yblfbv5t To read the first 50 pages of ...
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Giving Thanks Part Two

Why Give Thanks? Part Two Giving thanks to God, whatever the religion or belief system, has been part of every culture since time immemorial: for health, for victory over rivals and for plentiful harvests. Special dates are set for these Festivals and most are celebrated on an annual basis. The tradition of Thanksgiving in the United States has its roots in English history. In 1536, during the reign of King Henry Ⅷ, there were 95 Church holidays and 52 Sundays, when no work was allowed and attending Church services was mandatory. After the Reformation, this number was reduced to 27, with some Puritans wishing to eliminate Christmas and Easter festivities, too! The 'Holy Days' became Days of Fasting and Days of Thanksgiving. Fasting Days were to mark disasters and threats and Thanksgiving Days to celebrate special blessings coming from God. Puritans and Pilgrims who emigrated from England took these traditions with them to New England. Pilgrim holidays ...
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Thanksgiving Part One

Thanksgiving Part One It wasn't a great journey - 3,000 miles in a leaky, wooden galleon, at the mercy of all the elements: thunderstorms, howling gales, freezing snowstorms, maggoty meat, weevil-infested biscuits, soured beer, no water, all within an atmosphere of stinking animal ordure, human vomit and Death on constant call with his life-ending scythe. Then, imagine stepping onto stable ground, the churning sea behind you, ahead green meadows, flowers, fully clothed trees, the sweet smell of brine-less air and tinkling streams of pure mountain water. Yes, this is your first first day in the New World. Here you can worship your God without fear of persecution, you can build a cabin to house your growing family, till the land and grow your grain and vegetables and live in freedom and happiness.. Paradise Arrived! No, not really! Where's your first meal coming from? Where is your shelter for the first night? What do you do with your worldly possession...
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