National Day Of Mourning For Native Americans

Many Native Americans celebrate 'National Day of Mourning' on Thanksgiving Day by gathering at the top of Coles Hill that overlooks Plymouth Rock. It is said to represent the other side of the coin and aims to present the true face of history. The first National Day of Mourning was held in 1970. Wampanoag leader Frank James was invited by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to deliver a speech, but just before the event they came to know that contrary to what they had expected, Mr. James has prepared a speech, which is actually a powerful statement of anger in the hearts of Native Americans about the history of their oppression at the hands of the intruders. Thus, the Commonwealth 'disinvited' him and requested him not to come there in an attempt to silence a strong and honest Native voice.

This disrespect was the last straw in an already going on discrimination and oppression and led to the convening of the National Day of Mourning. For many people, the historical event of the 'First Thanksgiving' or the harvest festival of 1621 represents the mutual respect the Pilgrims and Native Americans shared for each other, which is a reason that it is celebrated even today. It shows how European colonists and the first generation of Pilgrims in Plymouth respected the Native People and Wampanoags led by the sachem Massasoit. The respect was returned along with generous help from Native people of America.

But there are many who feel that this is only the half-baked truth, as it no way tells about the long history of subsequent violence and discrimination suffered by Native People across America. Their voice was suppressed; they had to suffer the theft of their lands and the destruction of their traditional lifestyle. National Day of Mourning is about the sufferings of these Natives in America. However, there are some people who still believe that the event of 'First Thanksgiving' should be seen as a vision of goodwill that we should try to achieve and if the respect existed once, even if for a brief span for a single generation, then it may be revived once again. There should be dialogues between both the cultures, more voices should come out and there should be debates and discussions to clear out all the misgivings of the past and start a new friendship.