Happy Thanksgiving!
As we gather (or as the case may be, don’t gather!) together today to share gratitude for community, family and delicious food, it's critical to remember the painful history, and current lived reality, of this holiday for Native American communities. The forceful removal of Native American communities from bountiful landscapes full of pre-colonial food sources, indigenous to place, to the barren landscapes of reservations outlined by the US government created, and continues to create, a disconnect between people, place and access. These disparities continue to be seen through a lack of access to education and job opportunities and exposure to high-risk health issues plaguing Native American communities, including COVID-19.
Today, there are many organizations working to promote indigenous food sovereignty, Native chefs preserving and amplifying Native American cuisine, and Indigenous activists fighting for food and environmental justice. This Thanksgiving, we encourage you to educate, amplify, share, buy from and donate to these Native American food sovereignty projects and businesses.
- Indigenous Food Systems Network
- North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems
- Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance
- Abenaki Land Link Project
- Vermont Abenaki Artist Association
- Support Native Producers through Native Harvest & Producers Highlighted Here
Additional Resources for Families:
- Children’s Books by Abenaki Authors
- Native American Books from Baby to High School
- Decolonizing Your Thanksgiving Curriculum