Holidays & cooking

11.23.2005

I can't get myself logged into my parents' wifi. And they don't remember the login info. So I'm not on Kaneda, which means I won't update much until Friday. Also, I'm busy cooking seven dishes for Thanksgiving.

But I did want to make a brief note about Thanksgiving. Something I thought about on the way over here, since I've had "imagined communities" nationalism literature rattling about in my head for the past weeks.

Thanksgiving is THE American holiday, it's THE national myth. No, it's not an original idea. And. Yes, I know that the myth can be deconstructed & criticized in so many ways. But the myth is still very powerful, and says a lot about who we are, as a political community. Even the criticism points to the power of the myth. Here it is:

We're a nation of immigrants, we came in search of a better life, to escape persecution. We came w/ little, we came unprepared. The community that was already here opened its arms to us, shared food & hospitality, and helped us make a new life here, in this New World of boundless opportunity.

I think that says a lot about us. And the fact that this little story is told & retold in elementary schools around the country, year after year, says even more. Sure, we later treated the indigenous population terribly. Sure, we treated later arrivals poorly. But the myth speaks to who we hope we could be.

And so every year, on this holiday, we remember that we're a nation of immigrants, that others who arrived before us helped us make a new life, and we should help those who'll arrive after us. Because we were all at one time newly arrived pilgrims, hungry in the cold, weren't we? I know I was.

Posted by Miguel at 04:30 PM

Comments

Samuel Huntington has a book titled "Who We Are" (if I'm not mistaken) abt American identity.

Posted by: Stephanie at November 25, 2005 08:13 AM

You are so right.

Posted by: Jane at November 27, 2005 12:32 PM

I agree.
This is a case where the STORY has really over-taken the facts.
The facts are relevant and important to historians, and peopel who want to inderstand where wwe came from.....but look at the STORY.
People strike out boldly to make a new life... a life that suits them.
They face hardship.
And though they were brave enough to est out ALONE, they do not endure this hardship alone. In fact, it is coming together that eventually allows them to survive.
We aren't commemorating those historical events every year. Hell no! Those events are just an early example of this story that is so important to us. Be brave, seek what you want, help eachother out.
It is that story that we are celebrating.

Posted by: j. edmund at November 28, 2005 01:55 AM