Unity Through Nobility: Something for Atlanteans to really be thankful for this Thanksgiving

The narrative of the New World since the arrival of Christopher Columbus has primarily been one of ethnic cleansing, slavery, and racism on an unprecedented scale; however, one peculiar meeting between New Worlders and Old Worlders stands out in stark contrast.

The story of the First Thanksgiving is perhaps the most important founding myth of America. As one of the first pieces of history and culture that most American children are taught, the holiday and the story behind it holds a fond place in the hearts of Americans as they grow older. Many may be surprised to discover the story they learned in school was not merely another feel-good lie told to children, but that the historic encounter held all of the necessary elements to make it into the perfect myth.

In 1620, the Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower and traveled to the New World to found a society based on idealistic religious principles. Although their religious beliefs were far from perfect, their hope that the New World could become home to a genuinely new society which was morally superior to anything in the Old World was in contrast to the colonies founded in Virginia and the Caribbean—which were profit-seeking endeavors meant to benefit the colonial powers. (This idealism has been present in American culture ever since, but the Founding Fathers missed a crucial opportunity in 1776 to create a true New World civilization, preferring instead to cling to their ties with the Old World.)

The first winter was harsh for the Pilgrims, with half dying from disease and starvation. When spring arrived, they were weak and worried that hostile natives may attack at any time. One may imagine their great surprise when they were greeted by a friendly, English-speaking local named Squanto! Squanto introduced the Pilgrims to New World farming techniques and crops, including the ‘three sisters’ (corn, beans, and squash) which are commonly grown to this day. He also served as a diplomat who fostered positive relations between the Pilgrims and the nearby Wampanoag confederacy.

Squanto, friend of the Pilgrims.

Before encountering the Pilgrims, Squanto had interacted with English people many times before. When he was 20, Squanto was captured and taken to England as a slave. Over the next 14 years he crossed the Atlantic at least 6 times, serving as an interpreter and guide for English explorers. At one point, he was released by an explorer only to be captured and re-enslaved by one of the explorer’s officers!

When he finally managed to return to his home in the region which is now known as New England, Squanto found that the area had been wiped out by a plague the previous year. The Pilgrims and the Mayflower would arrive one year later.

Squanto could have easily led a group of warriors to wipe out the English newcomers in an act of revenge; however, he chose to treat these strangers in need with impartial kindness. After a successful harvest in the fall, a celebration took place where the 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoags feasted together. This celebration is what is known as the First Thanksgiving.

Although some meat was likely eaten at the First Thanksgiving, it was only a supplement to what was indisputably a harvest celebration.

Tragically, Squanto died the next year. Some historians believe he was poisoned by the Wampanoag leader because he thought Squanto was too trusting and friendly towards the newcomers. Regardless, Squanto’s friendship and diplomacy was able to keep peaceful relations between the Wampanoag and New Englanders for 50 years before competition for scarce resources from an ever-increasing number of colonists led to war.

Squanto is a unique figure in American history. He stands out because his role in the first Thanksgiving is one of the few American stories where an Amerindian is the hero—not a sidekick or misguided antagonist. In this case, he was the teacher, the civilizer. He introduced new crops and farming techniques to the Pilgrims when they had little knowledge on how to farm in their new environment, and likely would have starved without his help.

More importantly, he is a real American hero—Squanto is regarded, alongside the Pilgrims, as being one of the first Americans. The story of the first Thanksgiving shows us what it truly means to be an American: it is something that is not tied to ethnicity or skin color, and it will forever be a thorn in the side of US-based White Nationalists who regard the United States as a bastion of ‘White Civilization’ (whatever that is supposed to mean).

Unfortunately the sun has set on the new dawn that Squanto tried to usher in, and the United States has forged a legacy of racism and inter-ethnic discord. Can we make the sun rise once again on a new Atlantean folk?

The modern Thanksgiving has sadly drifted away from its roots as a harvest festival. It has become a celebration of over-indulgence and gluttony where it is not uncommon for people to happily eat to the point of feeling sick. Turkey has replaced grains and vegetables as the main course, and it is such an integral part of the modern Thanksgiving that the holiday is sometimes light-heartedly called “Turkey Day”.

The Thanksgiving turkey is so popular in US culture that Ronald Reagan began a bizarre tradition where presidents ‘pardon’ a turkey that is presented to them. Since domestic turkeys have been bred to grow to unhealthy large sizes, the pardoned turkeys are plagued by issues like joint pain, respiratory problems, and heart disease. Most pardoned turkeys live for only a few months before painfully succumbing to health problems.

Don't worry though, they just eat a different turkey instead.

To top it all off, the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday, which marks the start of the Christmas shopping season, and is perhaps one of the most disgusting examples of greed and materialism in existence.

On a more positive note, other staples of Thanksgiving dinner include mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, and pumpkin pie—all are New World foods that Squanto introduced to the Pilgrims. Other hints of Thanksgiving’s origin as a harvest festival are hidden in plain sight: after turkey, the cornucopia is the second most popular symbol for the holiday.

The fruits of a successful harvest.

Let us hope that some day in the not-so-distant future, all turkeys will be permanently pardoned, and Thanksgiving can once again be a harvest festival and an Atlantean celebration of UNITY THROUGH NOBILITY.

I should mention that not everyone views Thanksgiving in a positive light, however. Some Native American groups have used Thanksgiving as a day to protest against the genocide and plunder that took place in the New World, calling their protests things like ‘Unthanksgiving Day’ and ‘National Day of Mourning’. While their feelings are not unjustified, choosing to protest Thanksgiving is a poor choice.

It is essential to recognize the significance of Thanksgiving—not only is it not about genocide and conquest (like Columbus Day and similar celebrations), but it is about sincere inter-ethnic unity and impartial kindness (something which is relatively lacking in US history!). Thanksgiving romantically represents the Atlantean civilization that could have been: a New World built not upon genocide, plunder and deceit, but on friendship, unity, and higher ideals. Of all the evils that the post-Columbian era has unleashed, Thanksgiving is one thing that Atlanteans should certainly be thankful for.

All New Worlders are descended from pilgrims, whether ancient (from the fall of the ancient Atlantean civilization) or modern (from the ills of the Old World).

Together we shall finish our pilgrimage in the Atlantis to come.