How To Challenge Thanksgiving Disinformation and Build New Traditions

Since you’re here reading this article, you might already know that Thanksgiving is a settler colonial holiday based on revisionist history. This year, we’re focusing on steps we can take to decolonize Thanksgiving together. 

There is nothing inherently wrong with sharing food, cooking for our loved ones, and being in communion with our family and friends. However, reckoning with our space on occupied land weighs especially heavy on Thanksgiving, and facing the reality of this holiday is critical to our intersectional efforts toward justice. In the world of social media echo chambers, Thanksgiving presents a rare opportunity and environment to confront opposing beliefs. 

So as sustainable baddies, could you get Uncle Jimmy or Great Aunt Mariella to come around on land acknowledgment or reparations? It’s important to manage our expectations with people who think differently, but approaching this holiday with kindness and optimism might help us make some headway.

Correcting False Narratives 

You can't expect to convince Uncle Jimmy without decolonizing yourself first. What is the myth that is told to us on Thanksgiving and why is it dangerous? 

The Thanksgiving meal, you know the one where the pilgrims and the native Americans sat down together and broke bread? That never happened. Cute idea, but it pretty much ignores the long and bloody history of colonization, violence, and the forced displacement, assimilation, and murder of indigenous people. It might make white people feel warm and fuzzy, but it's pretty damaging. 

Here’s some pre-reading to de-bunk Thanksgiving myths: 

• Chris La Tray: An Irritable Metis: Thanksgiving substack 2022

• (Re-)educate yourself using this study guide from the National Museum of the American Indian

• Unsung History Podcast: on Thanksgiving Myth with Kisha James

• Celebrate Indigenous Heritage Month all month long (all lifelong) 

• What sustained actions can you do throughout the year? 

Productive Anger

Make sure that your guilt, grief, and confusion are channeled into productive and action-oriented avenues. Now more than ever, as Indigenous Palestinians are being forcibly removed from their own land through ethnic cleansing, we need to participate in active reparative justice efforts. 

Here are some tangible action steps toward decolonization:

1. Sign petitions: sometimes just putting your name out there makes a big difference

1. Palestinian Justice 

2. NODAPL: Support Standing Rock

3. Stop Cop City: Defend the Atlanta Forest

2. Donate funds

1. Donate to the NDN Collective

2. Medical Aid for Palestine

3. City of Joy

3. Join Actions for Indigenous Communities

1. Find a Protest in your Area for Gaza

2. Leave a comment to shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline

3. Research grassroots movements in your area, and see what actions are happening!

Baddies Set Boundaries! 

• Respectfully decline certain lines of conversation if you don’t think they’ll lead to healthy dialogue

• If talking to a specific person is counterproductive, then take a step back and channel it elsewhere—like putting a donation in their name. 

…But Also Know Your Privilege

Recognize your boundaries in the context of your privilege. Sometimes we need to be uncomfortable and speak up so that our marginalized peers can be safe.

Under-the-radar decolonization

• What new traditions can you implement in your communities that highlight indigenous traditions and practices? Of course, be mindful of appropriation and do your research before bringing in new traditions.

• Bring a new dish to the table

• Suggest a land acknowledgment before eating 

Take alternative methods to celebrate community and gratitude

The best way to decolonize Thanksgiving is to divest from it. Luckily, there are so many beautiful, liberatory traditions that we can hold in its place. Eating food with love, sharing space, and practicing gratitude need not be relegated to a single day. 

• Host a Friendsgiving meal with your pals who are also giving up this holiday, or decolonizing it! You can ask friends to bring completely different dishes or ask them to incorporate their own culture and heritage. 

• Volunteer or attend a community meal. Check in your area for community meals or food drives happening throughout the holidays. Spend your energy there rather than trying to change the minds of some stubborn folks. 

• Take the day for yourself. Decolonize, donate, petition, rally, reject, and then rest. It's just another Thursday. 

• Post on your social media. Share your approach to the holiday, where you are donating, or how you are taking action, and ask your followers and friends to join you. Hold each other accountable.