Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Long before they became a Thanksgiving staple, turkeys were revered by ancient Indigenous communities [View all]
Yoonji Han Nov 23, 2023, 7:06 AM CST
The Oglala band leader Little, who started the Indian Revolt at Pine Ridge, wears a turkey feather headdress. Buyenlarge/Getty Images
According to legend, the Cherokee people began eating corn because of the turkey.
The myth goes that first man and woman on Earth grew corn as plants. When the woman spotted a turkey eating the golden kernels, she realized they were edible, marking the inception of corn as a vital food source for Indigenous communities.
Long before they were a Thanksgiving staple, turkeys have played significant roles in Native American culture. In Aztec mythology, Chalchiuhtotolin, "the jade turkey," was the god of disease and plague, while in Hopi lore, a turkey deity called the koyona katsina danced with other birds in nightly ceremonies or during the Mixed Dances of spring.
It wasn't until Spanish conquistadors exported turkeys to Europe after the 1519 conquest of Mexico that the birds became a popular food. Some of those turkeys may have famously wound up on the menu at the first Thanksgiving meal in the 17th century.
More:
https://www.insider.com/turkey-thanksgiving-native-american-indigenous-cultural-significance-2023-11
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read