Morning Mumblings
WUNDERGROUND says today is forecast to be 3 degrees (Celsius) cooler than yesterday. I had an interesting dream..but now I've forgotten it. I think it had something to do with the anthology of Native American short stories I've been reading recently (by Sherman Alexie). Yesterday I saw little patches and lumps of snow that wouldn't melt. Parang tae ng kalabaw sa probinsiya! I think it's swell that we haven't had a massive snowfall yet. One can still go jogging in this weather, properly insulated. But when there is ice on the sidewalks, malabo na. There's that iffy period where you can't go running, but you can't go skiing either. All you can do is look for an indoor track to run or walk in or play tennis in that strange-looking tented bubble at the mall area. Or do yoga, if you do.
***
At the Thanksgiving dinner for international students yesterday, we got treated to a meal and a message (as C. says). I'm not overly familiar with the Thansgiving story. Last night, the church leader told us a mini-version. In summary, native americans took pity on the pilgrims from Europe because they were starving to death. And so they gave them food and taught them how to survive on the land. Thus the three-day thanksgiving feast that followed. C. told me that what is often not mentioned or thought of is that after the feast, or perhaps in the time that followed the feast, the pilgrims slaughtered the Native Americans.
I find it appalling, frankly. Only the pleasant, fuzzy-wuzzy aspect of the story is highlighted and celebrated year after year after year. The irony and the treachery is set aside, just as the Native Americans were set aside.
I am reminded of Aguinaldo having Bonifacio killed. Weren't the Kano in the picture then too? How chilling...
***
At the Thanksgiving dinner for international students yesterday, we got treated to a meal and a message (as C. says). I'm not overly familiar with the Thansgiving story. Last night, the church leader told us a mini-version. In summary, native americans took pity on the pilgrims from Europe because they were starving to death. And so they gave them food and taught them how to survive on the land. Thus the three-day thanksgiving feast that followed. C. told me that what is often not mentioned or thought of is that after the feast, or perhaps in the time that followed the feast, the pilgrims slaughtered the Native Americans.
I find it appalling, frankly. Only the pleasant, fuzzy-wuzzy aspect of the story is highlighted and celebrated year after year after year. The irony and the treachery is set aside, just as the Native Americans were set aside.
I am reminded of Aguinaldo having Bonifacio killed. Weren't the Kano in the picture then too? How chilling...
posted by Natasha Vizcarra at 9:18 AM
2 Comments:
That's an interesting tidbit. Have you read Neil Gaiman's novel entitled "American Gods"? There's this part where he narrates about a band of Vikings who sacrifice an American Indian as an offering to their God. After getting the native drunk, they hang the poor native as an offering to Odin. Of course, the whole band of 30 Vikings later get slaughtered for the deed. I remembered that part when you mentioned about 'pilgrims slaughtering native Americans.' There are also other interesting historical anecdotes about the migration of people to America.
Hi Allen,
Yes, I remember that now from American Gods. And I think I know how Neil Gaiman knows about Vikings. He lives in Minnesota too right now--somewhere near the Twin Cities--and this state IS the place where most Scandinavian immigrants settled. Yes, I now know so many Larsons, Gundersons, Amundsons, Gilbertsons and people named Inga, Sven and such. But if I'm not mistaken, the pilgrims in the Thanksgiving story are from England. The wave of Scandinavian migrants came much later and as labor for the mines that had opened up in Minnesota. Know the movie Northland Country? I know a woman whose mom was in that class suite. They say Minnesotans are cold and not as friendly as Californians. But I like them. They are kind folk, not at all cold and unfriendly, and have many things in common with Filipinos or Asians for that matter...But let's save that for another blog :)
Post a Comment
<< Home