Happy Thanksgiving

 

Today I thought I would share some of my thoughts. This year we celebrated Thanksgiving with a Sunday Brunch the Sunday before Thanksgiving. I attended a family wedding on Saturday, and we figured we would celebrate as a family while I was there so I wouldn't have to make the drive again. I have to say it felt so good to realize that I had a week without any real demands or plans. I feel like I am able to relax this week and it is wonderful! I bought some premarinaded turkey tips to have with some mashed potatoes and stuffing. However, Hazel is eating at a friend's house so it may just be Steve and myself. 

I have been reflecting on how grateful I am for my blessings. I am very happy that Hazel seems very happy with her school and social life. I am happy we realized something was wrong with our little kitty, Fidget, and got him to the animal hospital in time for the threads to be removed without having damage. I am grateful for my job, my family and our pets. There are so many things to be grateful for in my life. As I was thinking about the holiday, I always wonder why we bring it back to the pilgrims and Native Americans of Plymouth. At the time there were other colonists on the East coast, so the pilgrims were not the first Europeans in these parts. 

Sarah Josepha Hale is the reason we celebrate Thanksgiving still. She was a devout Christian and thought the entire country should celebrate Thanksgiving as one. Some states had their own Thanksgiving days previously. Although she was from New England, I wonder if she truly meant Thanksgiving to be a day to remember the myth of the pilgrims and Wampanoag celebrating back in 1600s. I also wonder why we focus so much on Plymouth. At the time there were other colonies already in the United States. The Mayflower itself was off course for where it was to land in America. One of the big things the pilgrims did was establish the Mayflower Compact which carried over to setting up the government of the United States many years later. I truly believe the idea of Thanksgiving should not be about remembering the history that has been distorted over the years, but rather a time to reflect on what each of us is thankful for this year. It is a time to gather with family and friends and enjoy each other's company. It is a time to personally reflect on your own gratitude. Whether you are religious or not, it does not matter as each of us has something to be thankful for. 

So I hope today you will take time to reflect on your own life and consider giving thanks for all the blessings in it. With a day to myself, I know I will be doing just that.

I know that I am grateful for my family and friends, my job, our pets, our lives,... I am also thankful for my inner peace that I have found lately, and the friendships Hazel has. There are so many wonderful things to be thankful for and it is so important for us to remember them and give them thanks! Over the years I have shared many books, crafts, and fun facts related to Thanksgiving in case you are looking for something to do today. 

Keepunumuk -- New Picture Book Written by Native Americans Sharing the Story of the First Thanksgiving

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It is hard to believe November is almost over and harder for me to believe that I have not shared any resources for Native American Heritage Month. It is one of my favorite heritage months! Although I do share various Native American books throughout the year, I almost always have something new for November! Today I get to share with you a wonderful new picture book written by Native Americans or First Peoples that share a Native American story of the first Thanksgiving based on stories from the Wampanoag. The book is Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story by Danielle Greendeer, Anthony Perry and Alexis Bunten and illustrated by Garry Meeches Sr. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Awashonks -- Chief Leader of Sakonnet Tribe

 

It is hard to believe that March is almost over so today will be our last edition of our Women's History Month series for this year. Today I am going to feature a Native American leader that goes back to colonial time. Her name is Awashonks. This was her name when she became leader, but we do not know what her name was before that. Awashonks means "she who is queen." We do not know much about her life prior to 1671. It is estimated that she was born in 1640 and other records say she was born in 1620 after the Mayflower landed in Plymouth. She was the daughter of Corbitant, the sachem in 1620. Her name however appears in the records more than any other indigenous female. 

Fry Bread -- Book Review & More

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today we are going to explore Native American fry bread and share a picture book about it. Fry bread is a bit controversial in the Native American society. Some love it and others hate it due to its history. When Native Americans were forced away from their ancestral lands, they took everything they owned and could carry and walked to new lands which were nothing like their original homelands. One such "walk" is known as the Trail of Tears. Thousands of people died on the long walk. After this displacement, some of which is still occurring, the Native people could not live the way they always had. They could not get the food they knew or even grow the food they usually grew. The United States Government subsidized some basic foods and it is said the Navajos were the first to create fry bread with flour, baking powder, salt and water. 

Happy Thanksgiving! Today we are honoring the Indigenous People of Massachusetts with a Tribal Nations Puzzle

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this puzzle as a gift from the maker. All opinions are my own.

As I sit and think about Thanksgiving I remember the history we have been taught and much of the history I have learned. With my parents on Cape Cod I drive through Plymouth, Massachusetts every year on my way to and from Thanksgiving dinner. I think about the friendships that were made between the Wampanoag People and the Pilgrims and how the white colonists truly treated the Natives who helped them survive the first year. It saddens me that we are taught such a different story about what Thanksgiving means. To me this is a day to give thanks for the blessings we have and to gather with loved ones and be thankful for the time with them. This is especially true for my family this year since it may be one of the last ones that my father will be truly present as his Alzheimer's is getting much worse. 

A Look at Wampum and How It Is Made -- Native American Heritage Month

November is Native American Heritage Month. This year I thought I would explore wampum and how it is made. Wampum jewelry is very popular on Cape Cod and this summer I was told how hard (and dangerous) it is to make. This is why it costs so much. 

Who Was at the First Thanksgiving? Fun Facts about Massasoit

Have you been enjoying our Fun Facts Series? This week we are taking a look at Who Was at the "First" Thanksgiving. Now in truth what we celebrate as the first Thanksgiving was not the first in America. The Native Americans held various thanksgiving festivals long before Europeans came to America and the first European Thanksgiving happened well before there were colonies. (Source) Well today we are looking at some Fun Facts about Massasoit. 

Who Was at the First Thanksgiving? Fun Facts about Squanto

Have you been following our Fun Facts series? We started last week looking at a special spin off of "Who was at the first Thanksgiving?" Be sure to check out our Fun Facts about William Bradford, Edward Winslow, and John Billington and Family (coming soon). Today we are sharing our fun facts about Squanto. 

Sacagawea and the Shoshone -- Native American Heritage Month Series & Giveaway

Disclosure: Quarto Knows sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As much as I love Native Americans, I tend to stick to the Wampanoag. Perhaps it is because they live in Massachusetts or because they are the ones in the "first Thanksgiving" story. Plus they are often the ones I see displays about or meet because of the locality. Well I already wrote a post about the Wampanoag for Multicultural Kid Blogs for our Native American Heritage Month Series this year and several over the years here, so today I decided to look at another tribe, the Shoshone. I am going to review one of the books that is a prize in our giveaway and take a look at one of the most famous Native Americans--Sacagawea and her tribe the Shoshone. Last month I had the pleasure of sharing another book that is one of our prizes--I Am Sacagawea by Brad Meltzer. I also reviewed a book about Sacagawea a few years ago. Today's book is Path to the Pacific: The Story of Sacagawea by Neta Lohnes Frazier. 

A Look at Massachusetts and Its History

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This year and last year Hazel's social studies unit is on the history of Massachusetts. As a result I have been gathering all the books I can find with a connection to our home state. (The truth be told I'm gathering books about all the states so I can expand our knowledge on each of them, but more on that below.) We also spent time doing some of the historical things in our area and looking at some of our past adventures. So today I am going to share two books about famous Massachusetts residents and share some of our adventures. The first book is Imagine That! by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes.

If You Were Me and Lived In Ancient Times -- Multicultural Monday Review

Disclosure: Carole P. Roman sent me these books for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Today I am going to share three of the books in Carole P. Roman's If You Were Me and Lived in ...Ancient Times Series. This series looks at ancient and historical cultures from all over the world and through many centuries. Today we are going to travel to Viking Europe, Renaissance Italy and Colonial America. We will start with If You Were Me and Lived in Viking Europe. It is illustrated by Mateya Arkova.

Native Americans of Cape Cod and Massachusetts

This summer while visiting my parents at Cape Cod, Steve, Hazel and I journeyed to the National Seashore Visitor's Center. It was the first time I took Hazel there and possibly Steve's first time as well. We watched the videos on how Cape Cod was formed and a bit of the history of Cape Cod. There is quite a bit of history. Then we went into the small exhibit room. In this room there was various exhibits about the people of the past on Cape Cod and of course included a Native American exhibit. I thought I took some pictures, but if I did they are lost. Part of the exhibit showed the structure of a wigwam and had other tools and parts of Native American life. But what struck me the most was the recordings of Native Americans and messages they have for all. One message was how it is important to know the history of the place you live. Knowing that history will enable you to understand the land and environment and preserve it as much as possible. I have been thinking about this ever since. It made me want to investigate the Native Americans of Cape Cod. After all so many things are named using Native American words like Nauset, Skaket, Namskaket, Mashpee, Cotuit, Hyannis, Sagamore and more. Even Massachusetts comes from Native Americans. In fact it is the tribe which lived in the Greater Boston area. (Source: The Wampanoags of Masspee) 

Shi-shi-etko -- Book Review and Native Residential Schools

Disclosure: Groundwood Books gave me a copy of this book free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

Imagine being a young girl and being forced to go away from your home and family to go to a boarding school. You have never left your neighborhood, but if you do not go your parents will be arrested. At the school they will not let you keep your name, religion or language. They will try to take away everything about your culture in your life. This is how life was for many Native Americans from around 1876 until the 1990's. Shi-shi-etko by Nicola I. Campbell and illustrated by Kim LaFave tells such a story about a young Native American girl named Shi-shi-etko. 

Sharing Saturday 15-47

Thank you to everyone who shared with us last week!! Even with the issues I had with Linky Tools last weekend, there were many amazing ideas shared. I had trouble choosing between them for features!! Our features are just a sampling of the wonderful things shared, so if you haven't checked out the rest you should!! The features for this week include Christmas Crafts, Holidays, and a Few Favorites. I have also started a new craft link party (the crafts just have to be family appropriate and not kid related) and it is a place to share crafts, reviews of patterns, craft books, etc. and patterns. I hope you will come check it out tomorrow.  Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop is a monthly party, so be sure to stop by to share your multicultural posts and ideas and recipes there.

Wampanoag's Cranberry Day -- Native American Heritage Series & Giveaway

I have a confession to make. Until recently, I did not understand why the Native American mascots were so offensive. I went to a high school where our mascot was a warrior and being a child of the 80's the song, The Warrior, was very popular at our school. Our cross town rival's mascot was a chieftan. I saw these as a way to honor Native Americans and not to insult or hurt them. This fall I have read several articles on-line (Huffington Post and The Guardian) that made me understand why they are hurtful. For some people these are the only images they have of Native Americans. This had not occurred to me since I have always had a fascination with Native American lifestyles, stories and such. I also understand why many Native Americans consider Thanksgiving the National Day of Mourning (see Huffington Post for more on this). Although Native Americans have always held days to honor and be thankful for the harvest, it is hard to watch the country celebrate and reenact a day that lead to so many of their own people's death and the loss of their land. I have written about the Wampanoag, a bit on Squanto and this year we explored Metacomet (King Philip) and I wrote even more about Squanto over at All Done Monkey. To honor the Wampanoag and to learn more about them as part of our Thanksgiving I thought we would explore one of their harvest holidays. I should also refer you to our post on cranberries since the holiday is Cranberry Day.  Our first discovery of this holiday was the book Cranberry Day by Jannette Vanderhoop. 

Metacomet (aka. King Philip) -- Native American Heritage Month Blog Series and Giveaway

For one of my posts in this year's Native American Heritage Month Blog Series and Giveaway, I thought it was about time I learned more about Metacomet. After all I went to a middle school named in his honor with his English name--King Philip. I knew King Philip was an Native American who had fought a big war, but that was about all I knew. I'm a little sad I didn't learn more about him while at a school named in his honor. Anyway we of course turned to the library.

The Great Thanskgiving Escape -- Book Review

Disclosure: Candlewick Press gave me a copy of this book free of charge to review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

Imagine a large family gathering. where you are a not a little kid and not a teenager, but in the middle. You are stuck in the room with the babies. Your only cousin close in age to you tells you it is time to make a break and go out to play on the swingset. Of course the journey to the swingset has many obstacles--the wall of butts, the hall of aunts (the type that squeeze your cheeks), the teenager zombies, etc. Then you finally make it to the back door to see it pouring. What are the cousins to do? Well make their own fun of course! This is the story of The Great Thanksgiving Escape by Mark Fearing. 

Crafty Weekend: Thanksgiving Activity Book

Disclosure: Penguin Kids gave me a copy of this book free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

It is Halloween tonight, yet I am sharing a Thanksgiving book. I guess I am rushing into my holiday season. Sorry for the late start but we had an exciting night of trick-or-treating here. I hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween. Today we are sharing a book that is perfect to help kids learn about Thanksgiving and keep them busy whether traveling or during a Thanksgiving celebration. The book is Thanksgiving Activity Book by Karl Jones and illustrated by Joey Chou. 

The Hunter's Promise and Whispers of the Wolf -- Native American Book Reviews

Disclosure: Wisdom Tales Press gave me a copy of this product free of charge. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

For Multicultural Monday I thought I would share two new books with Native American stories. Wisdom Tales Press is one of my favorite sources for Native American books. This past week they released The Hunter's Promise: An Abenaki Tale by Joseph Bruchac and illustrated by Bill Farnsworth. 

The Thunder Egg Book Review - Multicultural Monday

Disclosure: Wisdom Tales Press gave me a copy of this product free of charge. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

 For Multicultural Monday, I am reviewing a new book called The Thunder Egg by Tim J. Myers and illustrated by Winfield Coleman. This fictional story is about a Cheyenne girl, Stands-by-Herself, who is a bit of a loner and a dreamer. The other youth often tease her since she is so different. However one day she finds a rock that looks like an egg. Her grandmother tells her it looks like a thunderbird egg. Stands-by-Herself takes care of the thunderbird egg like it is her child. Then one summer when the rains will not come and the people are starving, she sacrifices the egg to the thunderbird. That night there is thunder and great lightning and the tree she left the egg under is split. She goes to the peak where she left it and finds the rock is split open with crystals inside.