Coming from a family of immigrants, I understand why people felt the need for expansion, and why those that lived on the East coast wanted to move out West... I've lived everywhere from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon. However, having said that, I married into a Native American family from here in Oregon. While my husband isn't necessarily involved with tribal issues, or with any of the local organizations, the rest of his family is very much involved.
I try to look at days like today, or Columbus Day - which he jokes that he doesn't celebrate because "it's all his fault" - from both perspectives. I'm going to have to explain to my youngest why his particular tribe doesn't have an official reservation, and more of the tribal history, since my husband doesn't know a lot of it - and well, I'm kind of a history geek. :) I strive to understand and be able to explain a lot of things to my kids, and this particular issue is a rather important one. I am glad that unlike some, my husband tends to take certain things with a sense of humor... for example, when my 18 year old sister brought up going to a casino and there was a debate about the legal age for gaming, my husband chimes in... "uhhh, why don't you ask the Indian? I should probably know.... "
Would the Native Americans still have their traditional way of life if the pilgrims (or Columbus, for that matter) hadn't arrived on the shores of North America? Probably not, progress is eventual, but I think the more important question is should those people that followed in those settlers footsteps have been a little more concerned with the well-being of all and could they have done things differently? The answer, quite simply, is "Of Course."
That being said, is there anything that we can do now? That answer is a little more tricky. Can we give them back the entirety of their previous land holdings? Unfortunately not, but we can make more of an effort to record the individual tribal histories... talk to the elders, record the languages, save the clothing patterns, baskets, fishing techniques. We can utilize the knowledge of the land that has been passed down for centuries and appreciate what the stories tell us.
Thanksgiving means different things for everyone, and this year, I am simply thankful for having basic necessities, a family that is together (though not without our fair share of arguments... that tends to happen with a two year old in the mix), and for my husband's job, that lets me devote my time to starting a business, that will hopefully turn into something special.
