04x08 - Truth, Trust, and Harvest/Thanks-for-Giving

[bunniefuu]

Hey, everyone-- it's me, Molly!

♪ Molly of Denali

Let's go!

♪ She's Molly of Denali

[laughing]: Whooo!

♪ By plane or sled or snowshoe ♪

♪ She is ready to explore

♪ From Kaktovik down to Juneau ♪

♪ Always wanting to learn more ♪

Yeah!

♪ Together with her best friend Tooey ♪

♪ Always by her side And Trini!

♪ Discovering the outdoors

♪ On adventures day and night

♪ Come along with Molly

♪ Molly

♪ Through fields of fireweed

♪ Come along with Molly

♪ Molly

♪ From tundra to the sea

Mahsi'choo-- let's go!

♪ Molly of Denali

Yeah!

♪ She's Molly of Denali

♪ Come on ♪ Let's go!

♪ Molly of Denali

♪ She's Molly of Denali

MOLLY: "Truth, Trust, and Harvest!"

[phone chirps][quietly]: Hi! It's me, Molly.

I'm vlogging from the deep green jungle.

Huh?[bushes rustling]

[roars][screams]

[laughs]

Just kidding.

We're actually outside Qyah's community garden.

Auntie Midge's friend, Gertie, is coming to Qyah today

to help us plant a garden for our community.

VERA: Aw, look at this baby squash!

And these itty bitty corn shoots!

They're tiny now.

But Auntie Midge says when they get big,

we'll be able to feed our village all year long!

[Trini sighing]

I love the smell of a garden![gasps]

[laughing]

Why'd you bring a book?

Are you gonna read while you garden?

Auntie Midge said her friend, Gertie,

was from Wampanoag Nation,

so I thought I'd find out who they are.

MOLLY: The Origins of Thanksgiving.

Auntie Midge has a friend

who was at the first Thanksgiving?

How old is she?

[laughing]No.

The Wampanoag people were at the first Thanksgiving,

not Auntie Midge's friend.

That's so cool!

GERTIE: What's so cool?

Gertie!

Hi!Hey!

Molly, Vera, Trini, this is my friend, Gertie,

who I told you about.

Welcome to Qyah!

Thanks for coming to help us plant our garden.

Auntie Midge says you're a pro at it

because the Wampanoag people have been gardening for forever!

Ooh, ooh!

Was your tribe really at the first Thanksgiving?

Yeah, what's it like on the East Coast?

What do you grow where you're from?

[laughing]

Great questions,

but can we do them one at a time, please?

First things first, wunee keesuq.

Thanks for inviting me to spend time

as a guest on your homelands.

I'm from the Otter Clan from the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

on Cape Cod.

I am called Nanaweeta.

Wow. That's a beautiful name.

Thank you.

What does Wampanoag mean?

"People of the First Light,"

because we're the first to see the sunrise.

Is this a picture of the Wampanoag?

Well... yes and no.

The Wampanoag were at what many call the first Thanksgiving.

Amazing!So cool! Wow!

But my people celebrate many Thanksgivings

other than the one you know.

My favorite is the early summer Strawberry Thanksgiving.

Yum! My favorite.Wow!

My people do honor winged beings

by wearing feathers that are earned or gifted to us,

but we don't wear those types of feathers.

And that is not

what our traditional clothing looks like.

Plus, this image makes it look

like we needed the Pilgrims' help,

when it was really the other way around.

They needed our help and knowledge about growing foods.

In school, we talk about Thanksgiving every year,

but no one's ever said anything about the Wampanoag.

Ah-ha!

That's why it's important to tell history

from many different sides, especially Native peoples'.

What we want people to know is that

we are still here and practicing our cultural ways,

which is what I'm so excited to share with you all;

some Wampanoag knowledge about growing plants!

So who's ready to get to work?

We are! Neraahojyaa!Let's do it!

GERTIE: This map shows where everything

is going to get planted.

See how it's divided into sections?

Wow! So cool.Ooh.

VERA: "Corn, beans, squash."

You'll use the map to find

where each kind of plant goes,

put these labels in there

so you always know what's what,

and then grab the starters and get planting.

Let's get to work!

Yay!Yes!

Meantime, we'll get snacks.

Be back soon!

♪

[groaning]

[grunts, thuds]

Vera!

Sorry!

[tweeting]

[hose running]

Hello, Ms. Bird!

Trini![groans]

Sorry![hose squeaks]

Whoa! [grunts]

Molly!Sorry!

Whoa! [grunts]

[grunts, thuds]

Ah!

Your strings are in the way!

[groans] Your soil is in the way!

Your hose is in the way!

AUNTIE MIDGE: Whoa!

What's going on?

You can't move without tripping on a hose or string!

[groans] They put soil and string everywhere!

The soil and hose are where you need to walk!

ALL: It's a mess!

You know what you guys need?

A snack.[cr*cker rattling]

[sighs] Yes.

Ooh! Salmon dip and luh gaii?

My favorite.

[sighs]

Sorry we didn't get anything planted.

But you did get the beds marked.

You know, gardening, like a lot of things,

goes better if you work together,

like the Three Sisters.

Three Sisters?

Yes. The story isn't ours.

Another Eastern tribe, the Haudenosaunee,

or People of the Longhouse,

shared the story with me, and I will share it with you.

The Three Sisters lived in a field

and they were always together.

The oldest sister was tall, strong and hungry.

She was the corn.

The middle sister was very giving,

and she fed rich nutrients into the soil.

She was the beans.

And the youngest sister was protective

and covered the ground, keeping the soil moist and cool.

She was the squash.

They decided to work together with their different strengths.

And in this way, they grew strong and flourished.

[sighs]

That's a beautiful story.

Hey, we're kind of like the Three Sisters!

Yeah. You're strong.

You carried four flats of plants by yourself!

And you're protective.

You strung all the twine everywhere.

And Trini, you nourished those plants with all that water!

Ready to take another try

at getting these plants in the ground?

Yeah. Only this time, we'll work together.

♪

Do the Wampanoag get food in other ways besides gardening?

Yup. We harvest game,

and gather nuts and berries,

as well as plants that we use for medicines.

We take only what we need,

and give thanks daily for Mother Earth's gifts.

Well, Gertie, what do you think?Wow!

Great work, you three.

Just think, when I come back in a month or two,

this corn will be taller than you are.

You were right, Gertie.

The corn really is taller than we are!

And look at the size of this squash!

We have a lot of beans, too.

You did it!

You grew the Three Sisters in Alaska.

And we didn't just take care of the plants.

We took care of each other, too.

And the village.

Think of how much food we'll have

for the community cellar this winter.

Mahsi'choo,Auntie Midge, for bringing Gertie up to Qyah.

And Gertie, mahsi'choo for helping us grow our garden.

This is all for me?

Yup-- homemade jam and local honey.

Jarred salmon.

And earrings we all helped to make.

Wow. I'm so honored.

Now, every year, we can plant a garden

just like this one, so everyone will have plenty to eat.

That's right.

And you know what that's called?

Indigenous Food Sovereignty.

Indigenous Food Sovereignty?

It means growing traditional foods

in traditional ways in our Indigenous communities.

So we can feed our people and keep them healthy.

I have something for you all, too.

MOLLY: People of the First Light: Our Wampanoag Traditions.

GERTIE: I figured it was time to update your library

with a book about the Wampanoag's side of things.

Mahsi'choo,Gertie.

MOLLY: Chin'an,Gertie.

VERA: Enaa' baasee'!

Now, let's get harvesting!

[giggling]Whoo hoo! Whoo!

♪

Hey, everyone!

Molly here to answer your questions about life in Alaska.

Wade from Colorado Springs asks,

"What kinds of food do you eat in Alaska?"

Many kinds, especially traditional Native food.

ALL: Hi, Molly!

CHILD: We live in Anchorage

on the traditional land of the Dena'ina.

We are Iñupiaq.

Today, we are having neqpiaq

with my family.

Neqpiaqis Native food.

Right now, Bernice is sharpening a ulu.

An uluis a knife and we use it to cut our food.

CHILD: We're always careful with an ulu.

My sister's cutting muktuk.

GIRL: This is muktuk.

It is whale meat.

This is the skin, this is the fat.

♪

First, I cut a big chunk of it off.

Then I just start cutting it in pieces like this.

CHILD: This fish is from Nuiqsut, in the very north of Alaska.

She's cutting the skin off-- we can't waste any of it.

We use all parts of the animal

because it's respectful.

When we eat,

we think about how grateful we are to the animals.

Tuttuis caribou.

This is aluuttagaaq-- it's tuttu

with rice and gravy, and, uh, um, some corn,

onions, and mushrooms.

This is fermented seal blubber, and it's called uqsruq.

We eat fats to stay warm.

CHILD: We always share our food.

Sharing is one of our Iñupiaqan values.

All this food is caught

by friends and family.

ALL: We love neqpiaq!

Quyanaqpaq,Molly!

Mahsi'choo!

Thanks for asking, and see you next time!

MOLLY: "Thanks-For-Giving."

All right!

[refrigerator door closes]Cloudberry pie,

trothfor nivagi,

and vadzaihfor the casserole.

Anything else?

[straining]: Is there even anything left?

You're right!

Almost missed the high bush cranberry sauce!

[chuckles] Maybe I ought to take this one.

These Alaskan Thanksgiving foods are so cool!

I've never had caribou stuffing.

Hey...

Since it's your first Thanksgiving in Qyah,

how about you and your family have dinner with us?

Ooh, great idea!

I'll call your folks. The more the merrier!

Oh! Looks like we need yeast

for the fry bread-- can you girls see

if Auntie Midge has any?

Fry bread? We're on our way!

Thanksgiving is gonna be extra yummy this year.

TOOEY: What's yummy?Hey, Tooey!

Trini's family is coming to our house for Thanksgiving.

I'll get to try caribou sausage stuffing,

cloudberry pie, and so many cool new things.

Oh, you know, we're having a big moose roast for Thanksgiving.

Mm! I love dinjik!

Wouldn't it be extra, extra yummy

if our families all ate together?

I'm on it![dialing out]

[phone chirps] Hi, Molls.

Hey, Mom!

Can the Ookamis come for dinner too?

The more the merrier!

Thanks, Mom![phone chirps]

This is gonna be the best Thanksgiving ever!

GERTIE: That does sound like

the best Thanksgiving ever!

I never knew people ate cool things

like caribou for Thanksgiving.

You know, at the English settlers' first harvest

in Patuxet-- that's the Wampanoag name

for what many people call Plymouth--

there was no pumpkin pie

or mashed potatoes.

Wow.

What did they have at the first Thanksgiving?

My Wampanoag ancestors brought several deer for a big feast.

There were winter squashes,

beans, and corn-- the Three Sisters.

And lots of fish, quahogs, eel and crab.

Crab for Thanksgiving?

We ate what was available around Patuxet.

The Thanksgiving story people usually hear about

was very different from what really happened.

This should be enough yeast to feed the whole village.

Mahsi',Auntie Midge.

You know...

we don't have crab and eel,

but if you and Auntie Midge wanted to come

to our Thanksgiving, we do have salmon.

Salmon? I picked a good Thanksgiving to visit Midge.

We'd love to!

You sure your parents have room for us, Molly?

Already on it.[dialing out]

[phone chirps] What's up, Molly?

Hi, Mom!

Would it be okay if Gertie and Auntie Midge

came to Thanksgiving too?

LAYLA: Of course! The more the merrier!

But maybe see if Auntie Midge has a few chairs we can borrow?

Sure will. Thanks, Mom![phone chirps]

[cheers]

[door closes]Gee,

I just came by for some tea.

Are you that happy to see me? [chuckles]

[giggles] Always, Shchada'a.

But we're also cheering because

we're going to join you for Thanksgiving!

Join me?

She means we're going to Molly's house for Thanksgiving.

And you are too, right?

Oh, sorry, Trini.

I hope you kids enjoy yourselves,

but I don't celebrate on Thanksgiving.

Oh. Why not?

I recognize it as a Day of Mourning.

Many Native people do.

Morning? Like you have Thanksgiving at breakfast?

[chuckles] Not that kind of morning.

This kind of mourning means, uh, sadness.

Oh! Mahsi',Midge.

Why are you sad instead of having dinner with family?

It's not quite like that, Trini.

Why don't you kids come with me and I'll show you.

[chuckles]

We had big celebrations on this land for thousands of years.

Ah, this is from a gathering we had every fall.

People came from all over to dance and drum for days on end.

[chuckles]

Oh, here's my mother with a beautiful basket

my family only brought out for special celebrations.

But then new people came to the land

and they didn't like our celebrations.

The new people made our gatherings against the law.

Seeing your old photos, Shchada'a,

it really helped me see what life was like way back then.

Yeah.And why you'd miss that.

GRANDPA NAT: They destroyed many of our precious celebration items,

like my mother's basket.

Why?

[sighs] Sometimes people do awful things

when they don't understand other people's way of life.

Remembering it makes my heart feel heavy.

No wonder you want to spend Thanksgiving being sad.

Mourning isn't just about being sad.

It's about remembering what was taken from us

and honoring our ancestors who survived so much pain

so we could be here today.

I'm so sorry, Shchada'a.

I didn't know Native people weren't allowed

to gather for so long.

That explains why Grandpa Nat doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving.

WALTER [straining]: Almost got it.

There.Whoa. Is that a door?

[grunting]

Phew!

Uh-huh! We've had to get a little creative

about tables with all the people coming for dinner.

If anyone else comes, we'll have to move to the school gym!

Or the Tribal Hall!

Grandpa Nat was showing us photos

of celebrations they used to have.

Maybe instead of just our families,

we can invite everyone who wants to come!

And have traditional foods and drumming!

We can celebrate just like we did for thousands of years!

That's a great idea, kids!

Yeah! And there'll be plenty of room.

And we won't need to find more doors for tables.

[laughing]

So, uh, how do we find out

how they used to do these celebrations?

Hm, I know someone who might be able to help with that.

My grandma taught me songs they sang

at the old celebrations.

Could you sing them at ours?

Oh! I'd love to!

What else did they do besides singing?

I don't know,

but other Elders might remember what they were taught.

SHYATSOO [on phone]: My auntie told me they gave

speeches and gifts,

and held all sorts of different ceremonies.

OLIN [on phone]: My dad used to talk about the delicious foods

they cooked and served, all in a certain order.

Hm, our Iñupiaq gatherings were different,

but my grandpa said he went to an Athabascan celebration

where they honored their guests with gifts

like baskets and blankets.

An important part of many celebrations was mourning.

Mourning? At a celebration?

[barks] Yes.

To remember who came before,

and what was taken, and to be sad together.

How can you be sad and celebrate?

When we remember our ancestors together

and talk about what was lost,

we know we're not alone.

Then we can all heal together and celebrate what we have.

Mahsi'choo,Auntie Merna.

Did you hear what Auntie Merna said

about mourning being part of the gathering?

I think we have one more person to talk to.

GRANDPA NAT: Wow.

You talked to all those Elders?

All the Elders' stories helped us understand

what life was like a long time ago.

Auntie Merna said big celebrations

were also a time for mourning.

There is a ceremony for it, and, and, uh,

we'd love for you to lead the mourning ceremony, Shchada'a.

And to let everyone know it's okay to be sad

about it for a while, together.

Oh... well.

I'd be honored to lead the mourning ceremony.

[indistinct chatter]

[deep breath]

Mahsi'choofor this opportunity to honor

our ancestors and acknowledge all that they went through

by leading this mourning ceremony.

[drumming]

♪

[drumming continues]

[drumming stops]

♪

[chuckles]

Oh, I'm glad you asked me to come.

Mahsi'choo.

We do have one more thing to serve you.

[chuckling]: Oh, goodness!

I'm so full already. [chuckles]

[giggles] Don't worry.

This is something you don't have to eat.

Those new people never should have destroyed

those important things.

Oh...

We're sorry it's not your mom's basket.

Uh, it may not be the same one,

but to see you kids bringing back traditions

I thought were gone forever, it makes my heart feel good.

♪

♪

♪