GIVING THANKS IS THANKSGIVING

"When we met the English, we made that offering. And of course it would take time for them to know who we are and what we are, to be able to be in thanksgiving. If you think about it, we gave them unconditional acceptance and love and nutriment. Otherwise they would have been massacred at the beach. That was an ability of my people of which I am most proud. But to say thank you for the love you receive from another group of people and to peacefully and happily coexist with us that did not happen. And it still isn't happening. That is the only thing that we can lament about, is not to be received for who we are. For we are the people of the First Light. The new and original thought of the Creator is on that light." - Ramona Peters, Wampanoag

Native American artist Ramona Peters, Wampanoag at work