Why I’m Not Celebrating Thanksgiving in the Traditional Sense

Thanksgiving, as widely taught and celebrated in America, is a myth wrapped in
feel-good lies. The narrative of harmonious meals shared between Pilgrims and Native Americans ignores the brutal reality of colonization. This holiday, as it’s traditionally framed, sanitizes the genocide, displacement, and cultural erasure inflicted upon Indigenous peoples by European settlers.

The land we occupy was stolen. Treaties made with Native tribes were repeatedly broken, their sovereignty trampled upon. Entire nations were decimated through violence, disease, and forced assimilation. The so-called “First Thanksgiving” was not a celebration of unity but part of a broader history of exploitation and bloodshed. Even the eventual institutionalization of Thanksgiving as a national holiday came at a time when Native communities were being systematically stripped of their land and rights. 

Celebrating Thanksgiving in its traditional sense feels like celebrating the theft, murder, and oppression of Indigenous people. Instead, I choose to reflect on the resilience of Native nations, honor their cultures, and educate myself and others about their histories and ongoing struggles. 

Today, many Indigenous groups observe this day as a National Day of Mourning. It’s a time to acknowledge the devastating legacy of colonization and stand in solidarity with Native communities fighting for justice, sovereignty, and recognition. If we are to truly honor the values of gratitude and community, we must first confront the truth. That means rejecting the whitewashed narrative and supporting Indigenous causes, land-back movements, and cultural preservation efforts. 

This Thanksgiving, I’m not feasting in ignorance. I’m standing with those whose voices have been silenced for too long.