Thanksgiving Reflections

November 26, 2020

Giving Thanks for Thanksgiving

Reflecting on this past year and how tough it’s been for everyone, I’ve thought a lot about the importance of
thanksgiving reflections: I always comment on food in my blogs, and let’s be honest—it’s absolutely appropriate this time.

We ALL think of Thanksgiving foods when we think of Thanksgiving Day! We use the day for feasting and reflecting on the many good things we have to be grateful for. (And yes—turkey and pumpkin pie top my Thanksgiving list!)

But why else should we give thanks?

I’ve been teaching my daughter about how to give Thanksgiving reflections, and I’ve been reviewing what I know about its history. As I did this, I was surprised to learn that much of what I learned in elementary school is inaccurate. For example, I always believed the settlers were the first Europeans to arrive in America, but that’s not true! I found it fascinating that Europeans had already been fishing and trading along the coastline for over 100 years before the settlers arrived. Some indigenous people the settlers first encountered already spoke English because of the fishing industry. I had no idea!

Language Diversity in the Americas

We must also recognize that indigenous people spoke many languages across the Americas when the European settlers arrived. (English is NOT native to North, Central, or South America.) In the 1500s, nearly 700 indigenous languages were spoken in North America alone.
Sadly, many of these languages have gone extinct over time. In the U.S., indigenous people spoke around 300 languages when the settlers arrived, but by 2020, that number had dropped to just 175. Linguists predict that the number of spoken indigenous languages will shrink to 20 within the next 30 years.

One of the major reasons indigenous languages in the U.S. died was the forced placement of children into schools where they couldn’t speak any language other than English. (Many children were separated from their families and sent away to English-only boarding schools.) School leaders enforced strict policies regarding native languages, and they punished students for speaking anything but English.

This practice is not as distant in the past as we might think. My mother’s family brought her to the U.S. from Mexico in the 1950s. She had to learn English quickly since language programs like the ones we have today didn’t exist. Schools strictly forbade Spanish. Not only did teachers refuse to help her learn English, but they also punished her for speaking Spanish, even on the playground. Thankfully, my grandmother didn’t allow us to speak English at home, so my siblings and I grew up fluent in both languages.

The Beauty of Bilingualism and Biculturalism

When I was in elementary school in the 1970s, I felt fortunate to speak both Spanish and English. I often helped other students who didn’t speak English by translating for them in class. (Perhaps this is where my love of languages and teaching began!)
In my home today, we work hard to ensure our children speak both Spanish and English. Speaking Spanish with my daughter doesn’t just give her a job skill—it connects her with her heritage. It saddens me that so many people have lost that connection, and I’m profoundly grateful to give it to my children.

Giving Thanks from Around the World

Here at Bilingual Bridges, our team is spread across four continents. We’ve worked hard to create the amazing community of teachers and students that we have today, and we want to thank you for being part of it! From our family to yours, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving! As you join together, even if just virtually, take a moment to reflect on the beauty of your culture, our nation’s history, and how you communicate with those you love.