Thursday, November 22, 2012

Blessed Thanksgiving



The First Thanksgiving’ by Jennie Brownscombe, 1914, Pilgrim Hall Museum, Plymouth.

http://www.knotofstone.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-first-encounters-and-historical-parallels/

8 comments:

  1. We have much to give thanks for, and that's number one today.

    We are off to visit Naomi and have a cooperative turkey dinner at her apartment; her first chance to be the host.

    --Alan

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hmm. Now why does the guy leading the prayer in that painting remind me of a rabbi rather than a Congregational minister. It's not just the beard, but it looks like he has a skullcap.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought the first Thanksgiving was by the Pilgrims. They were a different group than the slightly later Puritans. Without looking up the history, I thought the Pilgrims were Congregationalists -- in some sense the ancestors of today's Congregational denomination.

      Delete
  3. I think that was fairly common attire for old guys back then.

    Not a bad drive to the Bay Area; some fog for the first 45 minutes or so, then beautiful weather. Heavy traffic, but we've seen considerably worse.

    --Alan

    ReplyDelete
  4. I posted this photo to see what the reaction might be. I notice that few people today really think about the first Thanksgiving as they eat their meal. Mostly people say what they're thankful for now. The painting makes me sad. To think there was a time when some Natives made peace with the Pilgrims who invaded their land. Then those who invaded took it all. I always think of Grandma Doris Minkler on Thanksgiving. She was the grandmother of the Abnaki Tribe here in Vermont. We once visited her and she gave all my children Indian* names. *Her word. I'm glad we in Vermont now acknowledge the Children of the Dawnland (Abnaki Tribe).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have always regretted that the term "Amerindian" never quite came into general use. That term distinguishes this group (one of whom was a distant ancestor of mine) from both natives of south Asia and anyone born in the Western Hemisphere.

      Delete
  5. We had a really nice Thanksgiving. Root*Center*Son came as expected and is staying into tomorrow. Youngest and his Bride came too! They changed their plans to be here because of the death of Uncle Larry last week. They wanted to cheer us up. Pretty sweet. Her parents even kindly moved their big meal until tomorrow to make it easier for them! I am grateful for sweetnesses.

    ReplyDelete