Down Home: Cranberry sauce or spicy salsa_112403

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Posted: 11/24/03

DOWN HOME:
Cranberry sauce or spicy salsa?

Here's a Thanksgiving quiz for you:

Question #1: Who celebrated the first Thanksgiving in North America?

Question #2: Where did they celebrate?

Question #3: In what year did this celebration occur?

If you answered (1) the Pilgrims, (2) Plymouth and (3) 1621, do not pass “Go,” do not help yourself to another piece of pecan pie. Sit down and write a letter to your first-grade teacher, thanking her for misinforming you about this singular event in American history.

The first Thanksgiving celebration had a distinctively Tex-Mex (really Mex-Tex) flavor.

In 1598, Don Juan de Onate, scion of a respected Spanish family, led a band of 500 colonists from Santa Barbara, Mexico, through the desert toward New Mexico, where they hoped to mine gold and get rich.

MARV KNOX
Editor

Well, the desert must've been rougher than they expected. Shortly after they journeyed through El Paso Del Rio Del Norte (“The Pass Across the River of the North”), they stopped to rest. And to claim the land for the king of Spain, who thought Europe was too small.

Onate stood in Texas–near present-day Socorro–and he was so happy to be here, he declared a Feast of Thanksgiving. While his servants cooked, he painted a sign on the back of his wagon that said, “I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could” and another that read, “Spanish scion by birth; Texan by the grace of God.” (OK, that part's not true.)

And so, the Spanish Catholics beat the English Pilgrims to Thanksgiving by 23 years and half a continent.

Experts say “the victors” write the history. For the last 400 years of American history, the Anglos have been “the victors.” (That's about to change, but that's another story.) And that's why we've always talked about Miles Standish instead of Don Juan de Onate this time of year.

But let's be honest: Don't you wish somebody besides the English Pilgrims had obtained the copyright, trademark, brand or at least cookbook for Thanksgiving?

If we followed history more closely, we'd spend Thanksgiving afternoon watching soccer instead of football. But what a small price to pay.

Instead of gnawing on turkey, we'd feast on enchiladas, chile rellenos, tamales and fajitas. Who'd miss that sweet potato dish with the little marshmallows on top when you could have guacamole, salsa and chips? And forget pumpkin pie; we'd polish off our meal with sopapillas and flan.

Whatever you place on your table this Thanksgiving, may you circle it with love. May the laughter of family and friends provide the soundtrack for your holiday. And no matter what else has happened this year, may you recall 10 things for which you look to heaven and thank the God of all good gifts. Even turkey.

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