Thanksgiving Tidbits -The ABCs of Native American Heritage Month

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Pilgrims actually used the term "turkey" for all wild birds, so turkey as we know it today could have in fact been any wild fowl -- even an eagle.

In 1621, many of the foods that have become centerpieces of the modern Thanksgiving celebration were absent from the table of the Wampanoag people and pilgrims.

Some surprising omissions from the authentic Thanksgiving menu are ham, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

While meats were a major part of the Thanksgiving feast, pilgrims did not have pigs from which to cure ham. They did however, have an abundance of fish, seafood, birds and venison (deer), which Native Americans provided for the meal.

Sweet treats such as candied yams, sweet potato or pumpkin pie were also absent from the menu. Sweet potatoes had not yet been introduced to New England in the 17th century and although pumpkins were plentiful, they were eaten boiled. The pilgrims' supply of flour had been used by the time of the feast, so there were no pies or pastries of any kind.

Cranberry sauce, an extremely popular Thanksgiving staple today, also would not have been part of the fare. Cranberries were available to the colonists at this time, but they had no sugar.

Also absent were milk, cider, potatoes and butter. Cows were not available to produce milk and the potato, just discovered at the time, was thought by many to be poisonous.

Corn, unknown to the pilgrims before they met the Wampanoag tribe, was a very important crop. Yet contrary to popular folklore, there was no popcorn at the meal. The corn available to them at that time was maize and flint or flour corn, which was most often used to prepare hominy, and would not have expanded as popped corn.

A more realistic menu for the 1621 feast would have included: fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit, clams, maize, venison and vegetables such as peas, beans and squash.      

Image Source: Photodisc.com  Fact sources: Plymoth Plantation: The Living History Museum of 17th-Century Plymouth; History Channel online.

Hats & Feathers

Most commercial photos present the inaccurate image of all pilgrims in black and white coats, hats and dresses adorned with oversized buckles. "Indians" are typically shown in huge feathery headdresses with little other clothing, and little or no variation between the culture and dress of the different tribes that existed. Many people believe that pilgrims wore only dark clothing. This is inaccurate. Those who were well-to-do wore red, purple, or gold. The pilgrims that were not as wealthy wore brown, yellow, and other bright colors. Servants often dressed in blue. The Pilgrim men and boys wore long-sleeved shirts, woolen jackets called doublets, and pants called breeches. Women wore bonnets, collars, and jacket or vests over their dresses which were usually red, dark green, blue, violet or gray. During cold weather, most pilgrims wore red or purple capes. The pilgrims only wore black and white for church or formal occasions.

Contrary to what is shown in most photos of today, pilgrims did not have buckles on their clothing, hats or shoes. It was much later in the 17th century when buckles became fashionable.

The Wampanoag tribe did not commonly wear large, feathery headdresses (or war bonnets) as commonly shown in commercial photos. Instead, women and men of the tribe might have worn a single feather in their hair.

Wampanoag women were responsible for making the clothing for their family. Wampanoag tribe members wore clothing made from the skins of deer and rabbit. The women and girls usually wore long dresses and sometimes leggings. In warm weather, and when hunting or fighting, men wore only a strip of leather, called a breechcloth, and a pair of moccasins. Boys did not wear this type of clothing in warm weather until they were eight years old. In cooler weather, such as during the Thanksgiving feast, the Wampanoags wore robes made mainly from deer, but also occasionally from other mammals, including black bear, raccoon, beaver, elk, fox or moose.

The Wampanoag tribe used beads to decorate buckskin clothing. They used beads to string and weave necklaces, collars, medallions, and other accessories. The Wampanoags also weaved blankets of sheep's wool to wrap around them for warmth. The sheep's wool was also dyed using plant materials and used to make rugs and clothing.

Image Source: Photodisc.com  Fact Sources: Calloway, C. (1991). Indians of the Northeast. New York: Facts on File. Weinstein-Farson, L. (1989). The Wampanoag. New York: Chelsea. History Channel online. Plymoth Plantation: The Living History Museum of 17th-Century Plymouth

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