Community Chat

[september]

@Moonchilde. Have not yet seen another thread about tea...but just want to say we all have our tastes.  I thought when I visited China,  I would love  their tea.  Didn't happen! I nearly choked on it.  

[Moonchilde]

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@september wrote:

@Moonchilde. Have not yet seen another thread about tea...but just want to say we all have our tastes.  I thought when I visited China,  I would love  their tea.  Didn't happen! I nearly choked on it.  

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@september, I just meant the CA thread.

I have tried the treasured pu erh tea and didn’t like it at all. 

[Annabellethecat66]

@millieshops As I said, I have many friends who were once teachers and some now volunteer at libraries and I have a friend who also manages all of the libraries in my area (so I know the numbers of people who visit libraries), it wasn't a guess.

Anyway, the services they perform go way beyond offering books.  I won't go into it now as this isn't about libraries.

I just saw on a Sunday morning show about various people doing good deeds every day not just Thanksgiving and Christmas.

One gentleman gathers books, thousands of donated books and gives them away (as many as the person wants) to people.  It was wonderful to see.  One guy went out of the place with a shopping cart full.  He was asked, "What do you do with all of these books?"  He answered, "I'm a teacher in a school and I put them on the shelves at school".  

On that same show I saw a restaurant that donates 100% of it's profits to charity.  It's right in Philadelphia....here it is:http://www.zipcar.com/ziptopia/locals-guide/what-gives-these-9-charitable-and-delicious-restaurants

[Oostende]

I'm a card carrying member of a federally recognized tribe.  I know who my people are.  Many of my close relatives are still living on our rez.  

I've danced at powwows, attended ceremonies, and my name was given to me in a sharing ceremony, by my great-grandmother's sister.  Perhaps that's not clear.  She shared her name with me at that time.

Personally, I don't care for the term Native American.  I'm 53 years old and growing up we were Indians.  I guess that's when my identity was formed.  I have older relatives who insist on Native American, so whatever people wish to say is what they say, I guess.

For what it's worth, I don't view Thanksgiving as a holiday that has anything to do with Pilgrims or Indians.  My own tribe roamed the Plains and followed the buffalo.  I just roll my eyes at the little generic Indian figurines when they come out.  I don't feel anything in common with them.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, aside from Christmas.  I have been incredibly blessed in my life, and acknowledging that and celebrating with the people I cherish, is my personal take on the meaning of Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

[Moonchilde]

Thanks for posting, @Oostende. What wonderful experiences you’ve had in tradition.

It’s difficult these days to know what to call/how to refer to native peoples. During my childhood and into the 80s, Indian was used, but then most people, both Indian and not, decided that was derogatory somehow and Native American began to be used as a sign of respect.

The last 15 years or so, it has come to be very individual what one prefers to be called and what they call themselves. I’ve read articles and interviews and there is no agreement, now it seems to be personal preference. A lot are simply referring to themselves as native, without American.

I like the Canadian term First Nations.

I think if there was a native concensus most of us would be happy to use a/the preferred term, but any more there doesn’t seem to be one.

[Oostende]

@Moonchilde  I don't think it makes a big difference how people refer to Indians or Native Americans as a group.  I think most of us refer to ourselves by our own tribal names in our own tongue.

I appreciate you starting the thread.  Your sentiments are just so very nice.  You must be a wonderful person!  

[Cakers3]

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@Snowpuppy wrote:

Let's not forget that our Canadian neighbors also celebrate a Thanksgiving Day, much as we do in the US. And nobody sailed into Downtown Toronto.  

My grandparents were European immigrants and gave thanks for what they had. Period.

All that said, can't we all be respectful of other's beliefs without a microscope and lectern?

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@Snowpuppy?????  If you mean in RL in general, I agree 100%.  If you mean on this thread, I'm not following this sentence.