A Reason To Be Thankful
There once lived a man many years ago. His name was Tisquantum. As a boy he was captured by Captain Hunt, an explorer and slaver, who tried to sell him as a slave in Spain. At auction, he was ransomed by some Franciscan monks who provided him with an education. Through his time, he ended up in England before traveling back to his native village in America. In great distress, he learned that his tribe, the Patuxets, had been decimated by diseases brought by other European explorers. He ultimately went to live with another Wampanoag tribe, the Pokanokets.
By 1620, an English vessel, the Mayflower, arrived in Cape Cod Bay carrying Governor Bradshaw and other Pilgrims seeking the freedom to worship their God in freedom from persecution. Tisquantum served as an interpreter, guide, and adviser to the Pilgrims for almost 2 years. During that time, Tisquantum taught the Pilgrim how to plant and fertilize local seeds because the seeds that were brought with them mostly failed. He also introduced the Pilgrim to the fur trade with the natives.
Tisquantum, whom many of us know as Squanto, along with Massasoit,the Pokanoket chief, and may other natives spent 3 days together to celebrate the bounty of the successful autumn harvest. The Pilgrims gave thanks to God for their survival, their harvest, and the burgeoning friendship and peace with the Wompanog tribes. This celebration gave birth to our annual Thanksgiving day celebrations.
Sadly, for Tisquantum, this would be the only feast he wouldcelebrate with the Pilgrims. In 1622, at the age of 42, Tisquantum died of “Indian fever” as described by Governor Bradshaw. This was a great loss to both the Wompanog tribes and the Pilgrims.
Questions to Ponder
I will not make the argument that slavery was good to Tisquantum. I will make an argument, however, that Tisquantum took something that was abjectly evil and turned it into something that was absolutely great. He found abundant life in serving those around him. This included his own tribe as a son and scout, the Franciscan monks as a student,the Pilgrims as an interpreter and educator, and the Wampanoags as a grafted member and business man. These are reasons we can all be thankful – Native and grafted natives alike.
On this Thanksgiving examine your life and potentially the life of your family.
What great sorrows have you experienced in the past that have brought you great victories today?
What great losses have you experienced that have produced great resilience?
What experiences have taught you to become more industrious?
What things, big or small, have taught you to be more content?
With respect to your finances, what can you do to become more generous and responsible?
To being a more thankful individual.