One of the great things about being Native American is that people always ask, "what do you Indians do on Thanksgiving?" That's a complicated question to answer when you consider that a) Squanto's first words to the English pilgrims were "Hello, Englishmen." In English. And that b) when Lincoln inaugurated the holiday in November 1863 as a way to heal the Union, that very Union was killing over 400 Shoshone men, women and children in Idaho during the Bear Creek Massacre.
After having just survived all the Pocahontas outfits on display during Halloween we now have to endure turkey-feather headdresses on school children and the annual Cowboys football game on the holiday itself. The result: irony. So, as an Indian and a novelist and a professor of literature, a better question might be: what do Native American like to read on Thanksgiving that you are (ironically) "thankful" for. Here, then, are some books that I am "thankful" for. Enjoy the turkey.
The Americas would not have been found by Europeans before several more centuries, to the delight of the Native Americans, who may not have developed any new or greater civilizations, but ...
If it hadn't been for the queen of Spain, Columbus would not had left; the king was against it.
Columbus could only find mercenaries, criminals and other ruffians to make up his crew.
"Touch The Earth": because it inspired millions of wannbes to suddenly proclaim their "Cherokee Great-Grandmothers"
"The Book of Mormon": because now countless white missionaries have invaded Indian reservations with a gospel that promises white delightsomeness to dark-skinned Lamanites who repent.
Anything by Carlos Casteneda: because "Don Juan", the Yaqui sorcerer, was completely MADE UP, yet inspires new-agers everywhere to this day to practice ersatz "Indian shamanism."
Means was involved in the Second Wounded Knee fight in 1973 and was a co-leader with Dennis Banks in the American Indian Movement. He went on to an acting career and played Chingachgook in "The Last of the Mohicans." He stated in a separate interview that he and the rest of the American Indians in the cast were treated in a sub-par fashion.
Remember: AMERICAN INDIAN
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700199606/Book-teaches-how-Native-Americans-grew-their-crops.html
http://www.examiner.com/road-trip-travel-in-atlanta/quest-for-georgia-s-native-americans-part-1-savannah-ga
just a few more links.
this is a link about the first thanksgiving.
I'm expecting several accusations now regarding my lack of "patriotism."