The Power of Myth
Today is Thanksgiving. As I prepared a large feast for my family, I reflected upon the work of my friend, Robert Peters, the Mashpee Wampanoag poet and painter. He participated in InterGeneration, sharing his beautiful art with us.
Robert told the Wampanoag myth of Moshup the Giant. Moshup lived in the water off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. He took care of the people until one day he disappeared. Robert believes Moshup is the story of his ancestors witnessing the glacier melt 10,000 years ago. The thaw formed Boston Harbor, the islands, and the region’s rivers, leaving a fertile ground for his ancestors to thrive.
Grace, Acrylic painting from 2020 Thirteen Moons Calendar series by Robert Peters.
The Moshup myth is a creation story that points to regeneration and renewal, connecting the Wampanoag people with the ecological memory of their land. Myths have the power to make difficult concepts accessible to community.
Myths also have the power to create cultural amnesia when story replaces historical fact. I grew up loving the Thanksgiving story—the noble Indians welcoming the brave and devout pilgrims with open arms resonated with me. My father was an American Army officer of Lebanese descent. War was a frequent topic in my home, as was the importance of preserving and protecting democracy. Thanksgiving was a time to establish our American-ness. I also saw the holiday as a story of peace; two cultures overcome divides, finding common ground through the harvest and through the act of giving thanks.
First Round, Acrylic painting from 2020 Thirteen Moons Calendar series by Robert Peters.
My friendship with Robert Peters opened my eyes to the inaccurate cultural narrative of Thanksgiving that undermines the lived experience of the Wampanoag people in the past and in the present. To understand this fully, I recommend this podcast hosted by Matika Wilbur and Adrienne Keene: All My Relations: ThanksTaking or ThanksGiving?
The podcast features Robert’s sister, Paula Peters, a Mashpee Wampanoag journalist, educator and activist. Paula and the author and historian, Linda Coombs from the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) take you through the primary texts that created the Thanksgiving story, revealing the historical context from an Indigenous lens.
The story of Thanksgiving is a cultural construct that caused harm to Indigenous communities. Does that mean we should throw out the holiday altogether? The hosts of the podcast suggest reframing our understanding of what we celebrate. We should better understand the Native American tradition of giving thanks that infuses all their interactions with nature, with each other, and with the Creator. Matika and Adrienne also suggest using the day to support many important Indigenous causes. I invite you to support the work of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe or another Indigenous cause in your area.
We need to learn the history and reframe the cultural narrative of Thanksgiving, but the myth is still worth celebrating. For me, the holiday is no longer about the past. It is instead a vision and hope for the future of our nation. It is a hope for the crossing of divides. It is a hope for an abundant harvest feast with plenty of room at the table for all who come to these shores.
Circle of 7, Acrylic painting from 2020 Thirteen Moons Calendar series by Robert Peters.