The Gypsy Scholar presents the Orphic Essay-with-Soundtrack for “Un-Thanksgiving Day.” This is a musical essay for Thanksgiving Day offers an alternative view of the national holiday–the Native American one. It will advocate for a day to remember Native American history (of genocide) and a day to celebrate “Native American Heritage Month and Day” (November/29th). In doing so, it will present (a) a deconstruction of the American Thanksgiving national myth through examining the real history of the Pilgrims and the so-called “First Thanksgiving” and (b) the Native American view of the Thanksgiving holiday, which is generally commemorated as a “Day of Mourning” for the genocide of their people and/or as a traditional day of giving thanks for a plentiful harvest and having a feast (a practice that long preceded the American feast day). The Gypsy Scholar will also provide listeners with information on alternative ways to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday that are in keeping with Native American history and the Native American way of giving thanks. (Thus, the message of this musical essay is not to advocate doing away with the Thanksgiving tradition altogether but rather to transform it through mindfulness and sensitivity regrading the true history of the relationship between the Pilgrims and the indigenous people of this land. What Native American activists would term “de-colonizing Thanksgiving;” i.e., freeing an institution, sphere of activity, etc. from the cultural or social effects of colonization; eliminate colonial influences or attitudes from.)
This extended 4-hour program is available for listening on the “Archived Musical Essays” webpage, along with the corresponding playlist on the “Program Playlists” webpage, located on the Tower of Song website at revradiotowerofsong.com. Be sure to check out the “Un-Thanksgiving” webpage that is dedicated to this musical essay series.
