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Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013
The Journal
OPINION
www.journalpress.com
VIRGINIA VIEWPOINTS
The unsung Thanksgiving hero He gets the passing mention in the Thanksgiving Day story as he is often credited with helping the Pilgrims survive their early winters in the harsh New England climate. But that doesn’t begin to do justice to the story of Squanto. Historians, given some latitude for the lack of records, believe that Ti s qu a ntu m , David S. Kerr better known to our history as Squanto, was born between 1585 and 1592. History offers the Squanto story as that of a good natured Indian who humbly helped the Pilgrims in their early days in America. That’s true, as far as it goes, but there is a
lot more to the tale of Squanto than most people realize. By the time the Pilgrims arrived in modern day Massachusetts, Squanto had already crossed the Atlantic four times. He spoke fluent English, some Spanish, as well as several Indian dialects. How a local Indian, who for the good fortune of the Pilgrims managed to be there to greet them, managed to be so learned and traveled is the stuff of legend. Except, it’s not legend. In 1604, Squanto, not far from where the Pilgrims would land 16 years later, was returning to his village and was kidnapped by one of John Smith’s officers. He was taken to Malaga in Spain to be sold as a slave. But that wasn’t his fate. Some Spanish monks heard his story and for reasons lost to time agreed to arrange his freedom. His next stop, having found passage to England,
was London. He lived there for several years working for a shipbuilder named John Newsome. The next chapter, thanks to his friendship with Newsome, was as a member of an expedition to Newfoundland. He had hoped that when he got to North America he could arrange transport south to his home in New England. But, that didn’t happen and he had to return to England. It wouldn’t be until 1619 that Squanto finally came back to his home. The Pilgrims must have been awestruck in 1620 to meet a Native American who not only knew their language but was already more worldly and traveled than most of the new arrivals. Squanto, more than most of the histories of the Pilgrims acknowledge, was probably the difference between life and death for the new colonists. They were hopelessly un-
ready for their adventure. Most, if not all would have died had Squanto not taught them how to fish, hunt game, and how to grow corn. He also, with the skill of a modern diplomat, negotiated a general peace with the local tribes. This was a challenging undertaking, but the Pilgrims, unlike those that would follow, were surprisingly good at keeping their word to the Indians. The peace negotiated by Squanto would only end when the last of the original Pilgrims had passed away. Squanto died shortly after his last diplomatic mission in 1621, but it’s safe to say, that if the Pilgrims and Squanto not met there would have be no traditional American Thanksgiving tale to tell. So, across the years, a Happy Thanksgiving and thank you is owed to the Pilgrims long ago savior, Squanto.
The Other First Thanksgiving This Thursday our nation will be celebrating a civic holiday which is in fact a deeply religious observance. Even a cursory reading of its history and seminal declarations reveals right off that Thanksgiving Day at its heart is essentially an acknowledgement of God’s blessings. Our national consciousness is impressed with the story of the Pilgrims & Indians celebrating that “first” iconic Thanksgiving Day in 1621 at Plymouth Rock. But it should be known that Spanish Catholics have a double claim to that honor. At St. Augustine, Florida, on the Feast of Our Lady’s Nativity, 1565 the conquistador Pedro Menendez de Aviles gave thanks to God at Holy Mass followed by a meal shared with the Timucua Indians. Before century’s end there was another, even more resplendent thanksgiving observance in what was later to become the State of Texas. In 1595 Emperor Philip II of Spain chose 43 year old Don Juan de Oñate y Salazar to explore the territory north of his colony of New Spain (present day Mexico). Preparations took several years, and on January 26, 1598 the Spanish set out on an
epic journey northwards with 580 men & their families, 83 ox carts, 26 wagons and 7,000 livestock. Importantly, the entourage included ten Franciscan priests. One can imagine the arduous and dangerous nature of such a voyage through the Chihuahuan desert. They were in fact extending the Spanish Camino Real or Royal Road, which was a key conduit for the Christianization of the New World. Don Juan’s personal standard was of white silk, emblazoned with images of Our Lady, his personal patron St. John and Spain’s special patron Santiago (St. James the Greater). The expedition crossed the frontier and settled just across the Rio Grande, near current day El Paso, Texas. Upon arriving in what is now American territory, as was customary they sang the venerable Latin hymn of thanks to God entitled the Te Deum. A temporary chapel was quickly erected and the priests offered a Solemn High Mass, to the praise and glory of Jesus Christ. Don Juan took formal possession of the territory and named it New Mexico, which at that time encompassed a much larger swath of
the current territory of the United States. In his public declaration he proclaimed, “In the Name of the most Holy Trinity, I take possession of this whole land this April 30, 1598, in honor of Our Lord Jesus Christ, on this day of the Ascension of Our Lord…” Then was raised the earthly standard, the royal Spanish flag; followed by the far more important and everlasting standard, the Cross of Christ. The Spanish flag no longer flutters over our land, but the Cross to this day reaches into the heavens from countless steeples across our nation. A great feast was prepared to celebrate and continue the thanksgiving, which included races, games and even a play enacting scenes of native Americans hearing the Gospel for the first time and being baptized. By the time the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts, a mestizo (blended Spanish and Native) Catholic civilization had been flourishing for over a century in the New World, with towns and cities, stone churches and even seven universities. Someone as influential and powerful as Don Juan’s wife, for example, Dona Isabel de Tolosa Cortés de Montezuma,
was herself of mixed blood. She was in fact the great granddaughter of the Aztec Emperor Montezuma, whose nobility had been ratified by the Spanish crown. Before the expedition was embarked upon, Don Juan de Oñate was already very powerful and wealthy. In fact, he personally subsidized the venture. And so the question arises as to why he risked all in such an uncertain endeavor. The answer can be found in Spanish crown’s clearly stated instructions to Don Juan, as told in his diary, that “expanding the boundaries of the Religion of Our Lord Jesus Christ” was its primary purpose. Remembering the Christianity of our national history is of the greatest importance. And due honor should be paid to the great men and women who celebrated what could rightly be regarded as those other “first” Thanksgivings: in Florida and Texas in the Years of Our Lord 1565 and 1598.
Surely more than one board member could make the time to be at this meeting? Folks at the meeting saw first hand how their supervisor felt about tourism and its importance here in King George. Rumor had it that Mr. Thomas was asked NOT to have this particular meeting, but unfortunately (or fortunately) the invites had already gone out. Thomas indicated he would be having quarterly breakfast meetings to keep a tab on the pulse of the county. Kudos! Starting with the tourism issue was a great choice. Summer has come and gone, and I can’t even begin to guess how many people went up and down route 301. How many traveled east and west on route 3? I know the numbers are in the thousands. Why not work on getting them to stop here in King George, to visit, learn and spend their tourist dollars here, and not just pass through? Of course, this would mean developing the historic resources we already have. There would have to be higher end restaurants and shops. Most importantly we’d also have to develop and showcase the small
businesses that are already trying to survive and grow. We are the Gateway to the Northern Neck. We need to piggyback on that moniker. Folks at this meeting were very vocal about the closing of the Visitor Center near the Nice Bridge. The Virginia Tourism group in Richmond has been very gracious to “rent” the facility to the Dahlgren Heritage Museum. The King George community was thrilled to learn the building would be restructured and open for visitors. Unfortunately, the Museum group is very limited on staffing the building, and has no plans for any long term plans to be open. Perhaps a weekend here and there as they are able. Per Ed Jones, using the building to further tourism in the county and the Northern Neck has always been on the DHM books. But, after a couple of years of working with the Museum, I’m having difficulty visualizing this joint effort. There seems to be a disconnect with what “outsiders” visualize for the building and what the “insiders” see for the Museum. Plans for 2014 only have the building open a Saturday or two, for
maybe 4 hours. We are missing a huge opportunity to “trap” visitors coming into and out of King George. I believe the VTC in Richmond has different thoughts on how the building was going to be used. DHM administrators are working hard to staff the building. The county belongs to the Northern Neck Tourism group, but wants to not renew membership for the coming year. Are they crazy? Where else can we promote our history, resources and businesses for such a small cost? Without membership, King George gets left out of booklets, maps, advertising and more. This is a partnership that must continue. Without it, it’s like a map puzzle with a piece missing. Use some of the tourism money that comes in. There is over 70K dollars yearly to be used for tourism. Membership in the NNTC qualifies. No one at the Nov. 19 meeting would argue against it. King George is a gold mine for tourism. And, we have individuals, businesses and community groups ready to take on the task of making King George a destination, not a drive through.
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 It’s never too late to get healthy, Aries. Find time for some exercise and replace some calorie-laden foods with fruits and vegetables. You will appreciate having an extra hop in your step. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, a week of passion and romance awaits you and your special someone. Everything you do draws the attention of others. So make it work to your advantage. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, it can be challenging to get your head wrapped around certain tasks. Somehow you will manage to pull everything together and get everything accomplished. CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, maintain your focus in the coming week no matter how difficult that proves to be. Personal concerns may have you reeling, but your heightened focus will serve you well. LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, you may have something on your mind, but now is not the time to share such concerns. Do your best to solve a problem on your own, but rely on the advice of others if need be. VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, do your best to avoid being let down by the negative attitudes of others. Friends or coworkers may just be in a bad mood, but
that does not mean you need to be. LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, a little extra concentration will find you tackling your workload with time to spare. Commit your time now and enjoy the time to take things slow later in the week. SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, signficant changes are afoot and you are not quite sure how to prioritize your goals. Enjoy the change, but make use of down time to reestablish your priorities. SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, though a pressing issue in your relationship may seem like it needs immediate attention, you have a lot of time to work through any issues. CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, your normally conservative approach won’t work this week. You have to take a couple of chances, or you won’t accomplish much of anything. AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, you have only a few days to learn some new procedures at work. It is natural to feel nervous, but put aside those feelings and concentrate on the tasks at hand. PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, don’t worry too much about an upcoming change around the office. You’re in position to benefit from some restructuring.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Father de Rosa is the pastor of St. Elizabeth Church in Colonial Beach and St. Anthony Church in King George
OP-ED Lori Deem Tuesday, Nov. 19 I attended a breakfast meeting hosted by Linwood Thomas of KG Econ. Dec. and Tim Smith of KG P&R. The meeting was to be about Tourism in King George County. I expected the usual “suspects” at the meeting, and was happy to see some new faces and businesses getting involved in county affairs. It was good to see a concentrated effort to address the problems and solutions to help tourism grow in King George. We have a wealth of resources, places to visit and people willing to work to share the history and magic that is King George. Unfortunately at this meeting, our county government leaders were blatantly absent. Only one member of the board of supervisors attended this meeting. Ruby Brabo, a staunch supporter of county tourism, as was our county administrator, county attorney and a couple of other county workers. Perhaps the other board members had other engagements, but this was a serious and potentially profitable meeting for the county.
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