Do Native Americans celebrate Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving stirs mixed feelings amongst Native Americans. Many see Thanksgiving in a negative light and refer to it as ‘a day of mourning’ in memory of the injustices their ancestors faced at the hands of pilgrims. There are those however, who celebrate Thanksgiving in line with Native American traditions.

The first Thanksgiving is traced back to 1621 when a group of Plymouth settlers held celebrations following a successful harvest. The feast was a three-day event with 90 Native Americans invited as guests. Settlers in different regions in the States also observed Thanksgiving at different times and seasons, until 1863 when President Lincoln declared it a national holiday.