📖: Tommy Orange’s There There (2018)
📖: David Heska Wanbli Weiden’s Winter Counts (2020)
🍸: apple pomegranate autumn punch
How are you celebrating Thanksgiving this year?
While some of us may be celebrating Thanksgiving today, it’s also important to acknowledge that it is National Day of Mourning for some Indigenous Peoples, such as those who are a part of the United American Indians of New England, for whom “Thanksgiving day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the relentless assault on Native culture. Participants in National Day of Mourning honor Native ancestors and the struggles of Native peoples to survive today. It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection as well as a protest of the racism and oppression which Native Americans continue to experience.”
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UAINE will be live-streaming the 51st Annual National Day of Mourning today at 12PM EST at www.uaine.org. On this site, there’s a list of other things we can do to support Indigenous Peoples not only today, but every day of the year – from donations to climate advocacy.
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If you do gather for Thanksgiving, UAINE suggests doing a reading before your meal about the truth behind the first Thanksgiving, recommending Matthew Hughey’s article “ON THANKSGIVING: WHY MYTHS MATTER.” UAINE also recommends the books OUR HISTORY IS THE FUTURE by Nick Estes or David Stannard’s AMERICAN HOLOCAUST: COLUMBUS & THE CONQUEST OF THE NEW WORLD.
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Featured in my photo are Tommy Orange’s stunningly moving novel There There, and Winter Counts, a new crime novel by David Heska Wanbli Weiden. Both are excellent #ownvoices stories on the contemporary experiences of people from several Indigenous Nations. I can’t recommend them enough – especially since November is also #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth.
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However you’ll observe today, I hope you are staying safe and feeling renewed by and connected to your loved ones — in a socially distant or virtual way!
*Note: The beverage featured here is adapted from the blog HOW SWEEET EATS’s Sparkling Pomegranate Cider Punch recipe.
apple pomegranate autumn punch
ingredients:
1.5 oz bourbon (optional)
3 oz apple cider
2 oz pomegranate juice
2 oz ginger beer
1 tsp autumn syrup, to taste*
for garnish:
apple slices, pomegranate seeds, cinnamon stick, and a cinnamon sugar rim
- rim your glass with the autumn syrup and coat it with a cinnamon sugar mix
- combine all ingredients with ice and stir well (You can add bourbon, if desired, but it’s tasty on its own, without the spirit.)
- strain out the ice and serve in glass with fresh ice
- garnish with apple slices, pomegranate seeds, and a cinnamon stick
*How to make the autumn syrup:
Heat these ingredients in a small saucepan on the stove, and stir until just boiling: 1 part brown sugar, 1 part water, pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon, star anise, and a few pieces of orange rind. Remove from heat and let cool before adding to the punch mixture.
Let’s discuss!
Finished the books? What did you think about it? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
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