American Indian Resources

Frequently Asked Questions - Thanksgiving

Question: How is Thanksgiving experienced from a Native person’s perspective?

Utah Perspective:

Native Americans will also gather for Thanksgiving, but perhaps for a different reason
Thanksgiving reminds many Utahns of the scene in 1621 when the pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe put aside their differences and gathered peacefully, but the holiday means something else for Native Americans. News story from KSL TV on Nov 23, 2021


National Perspective: 

Native Knowledge 360: Native Perspectives on Thanksgiving
Many people teach about Native Americans in the fall, especially around Thanksgiving. If you teach about the “First Thanksgiving,” try to be as tribally specific as possible and present the history accurately.

Giving thanks is a longstanding and central tradition among most Native groups that is still practiced today. Learn about different thanksgiving traditions among Native people. Educational resources are available to help teachers incorporate some of the vibrancy of Native cultures through Native American art, literature and foods while you celebrate Thanksgiving.

 

In the Classroom:

How can we teach and talk about Thanksgiving in a way that respects all students?
Considering Native American perspectives as found in resources such as those listed below can help teachers develop a more thorough, historically accurate approach to discussions about the first Thanksgiving:

Did you have an experience with a Thanksgiving or other reenactment that made you feel uncomfortable?

What should teachers know about non-Native students wearing the regalia of Indigenous Peoples as costumes?


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