It's a true American holiday today, one with beginnings dating back to 1621, when it is said that 90 Native Americans invited 53 Pilgrims to celebrate their first harvest. Given the holiday's beginnings, The Ticker was curious if and how Thanksgiving is honored by the large local Native American population. So we went to the expert, Odawa historian and Benzie County resident John Bailey.

Ticker: Do most Native Americans today celebrate the traditional "American Thanksgiving?"
Bailey: Yes. I think people look at it and say, 'Yeah, we'll go ahead and do it. It's the best of both worlds." But the real traditions happen earlier in the season. Like the harvest dinner, which is usually done in the time of the harvest moon. As the tradition goes, when you brought the crops in from the fields, you brought all those in for families. Everyone would look at those fruits and vegetables and honor the spirit of those the day they ate them, praying and thanking each one and making gifts. It was and is a very spiritual feast.

Ticker: So it's a big tradition.
Bailey: Oh yes. And we begin by praying in seven directions; first to the grandfather sun and grandmother moon, then to the Mother Earth for all things we hold in common, then in the four cardinal directions, and finally to all our relations here on earth. The opening ceremony is very solemn. You have people come for the feast to honor and pray, and people speak, and then you have dinner and gift giving. The host gives gifts, and sometimes people who come will bring gifts for the host. It takes quite a while!

It's how we began long ago. And then of course the Europeans were invited, which really began Thanksgiving. It was their first, but probably our ten thousandth!

Ticker: So how and when did the holiday move to later in the year, after harvest?
Bailey: That was done by Abraham Lincoln [note: noted as a federal holiday in 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens", to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November.]

Ticker: But you have another November tradition.
Bailey: Yes, usually the first week of November we have a feast for those who have gone to the beyond...we feed those people and call them ghost suppers. All the Great Lakes tribes have those. You come in and eat and shake hands and have a meal and then move on to other places and friends' houses. Sometimes you'll go to dinners for a whole week. People will travel and come home from Detroit or Lansing for the ghost suppers. And the tradition is you have your meal and everyone leaves or goes to bed, but you leave out food and clean dishes on the table as though more guests are coming and you put food in the fire, all to feed your ancestors.

Ticker: What about the traditional Christmas? Are most Native Americans celebrating that now, too?
Bailey: I think more celebrate Thanksgiving than Christmas. You know, some have decided to do it over time, mostly because of the younger kids. But a lot of people won't, like many of the Western tribes. It isn't that long ago in their history when they were being very rudely treated. So more families here in the Midwest will. But for us, all three -- harvest dinners, ghost suppers, and Thanksgiving are very sacred to us.