Aquinnah

0

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. When I was a young girl I remember learning about the first Thanksgiving in school, but the holiday itself as it was celebrated in my family was about being with friends and family and being grateful for what we had and, of course, food. The historical aspect of the holiday and the symbolism of a bountiful table never really crossed my mind. Now that I live in Aquinnah, home to the Wampanoag tribe, I see it much differently. The past feels very present, or less abstract. It is clearer to me what a gift the Native Americans gave to the Pilgrims: The gift of survival in a new and sometimes harsh place. The gift of life, quite simply. This Thanksgiving I will add to my gratitude list a thanks to everyone who has ever given me a hand up and taught me something about how to thrive in whatever place I chose to settle in. I think it will be a long list.

At co-housing in West Tisbury, there will be a Thanksgiving Day Yoga Class by donation to support Island Food Pantry. The class is at 9 am.

This is the last weekend to shop at the Cliffs and grab some food at Faith’s. On the Cliffs and Stony Creek have big final sales happening, so stop on by and do some Christmas shopping.

The 14th annual PeaceCraft holiday benefit sale opens the day after Thanksgiving and runs through December 24 at Pyewackets on Beach Road in Vineyard Haven. The sale of these crafts from self-help projects will benefit the poor though medical, educational, and food programs as well as offer a means of livelihood in the poorest areas of the world. For more information or to volunteer, go to: www.fishfarmhaiti.org or call 508-693-0368.

Shakespeare for the Masses is back, and while I will not be performing with them this Friday and Saturday at the Vineyard Playhouse you should go anyway. C’mon, it’s free and the play is Pericles, which, if my vague memory of a production I saw years ago serves me, is sort of like Shakespeare’s The Odyssey. A lot goes on and it’s very exciting.

There will be a Special Town Meeting on Tuesday, November 30. It is mostly to cover some bookkeeping issues, but it is important. We need 39 people for a quorum, so please do try and come. It shouldn’t take too long and maybe someone will bring some leftover pie.

On Tuesday, December 7 from 4 to 5 pm, the library will host an hour of cupcake decoration. This is a bold move on their part; I don’t think Cathy has really thought about the ramifications of arming the young people of Aquinnah with frosting. She has no idea what she is getting herself into. She is being very conscientious, though: the cupcakes will be gluten-free. Saturday morning coffee hours will start back up again in January.