Thanksgiving is almost upon us, a time when many Americans gather together to eat turkey and talk about what they’re most thankful for. Growing up in the United States, almost everyone can recall the “First Thanksgiving” story they were told in elementary school: how the local Wampanoag Native Americans sat down with the pilgrims of Plymouth Colony in 1621, in what is now present-day Massachusetts, for a celebratory feast. However, this story is far from the truth - which is why many people opt out of celebrating the controversial holiday. For many Indigenous communities throughout the US, Thanksgiving remains a national day of mourning - a reminder of the devastating genocide and displacement that occurred at the hands of European colonisers following their arrival in the Americas. Every year since 1970, Indigenous people and their allies have even gathered near Plymouth Rock to commemorate a National Day of Mourning on the day of Thanksgiving. “Thanksgiving Day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the erasure of Native cultures,” states the official website for the United American Indians of New England. “Participants in National Day of Mourning honour Indigenous ancestors and Native resilience. It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection, as well as a protest against the racism and oppression that Indigenous people continue to experience worldwide.” This year, the 54th annual National Day of Mourning takes place on 23 November - the same day as Thanksgiving. While not everyone can support the event in person, there are still many ways people can raise awareness toward issues affecting Indigenous communities from wherever they are - by “decolonising” their Thanksgiving dinner. Decolonisation can be defined as the active resistance against settler colonialism and a shifting of power towards Indigenous sovereignty. Of course, it’s difficult to define decolonisation without putting it into practice, writes Eve Tuck and K Wayne Yang in their essay, Decolonization Is Not a Metaphor. Rather, one of the most radical and necessary moves toward decolonisation requires imagining and enacting a future for Indigenous peoples - a future based on terms of their own making. Matt Hooley is an assistant professor in the department of Native American and Indigenous Studies at Dartmouth College, where he teaches about US colonial powers and Indigenous cultural production. “Decolonisation is a beautiful and difficult political horizon that should guide our actions everyday, including during holidays like Thanksgiving,” he tells The Independent. “Of course, Thanksgiving is a particularly relevant holiday to think about decolonisation because the way many people celebrate it involves connecting ‘the family’ to a colonial myth in which colonialism is inaccurately imagined as a peaceful event in the past.” By decolonising our Thanksgiving, we can celebrate the holiday with new traditions that honour a future in which Indigenous people are celebrated. This year, we can start by understanding the real history behind Thanksgiving as told by actual Indigenous communities. While Americans mainly dedicate one day a year to give thanks, Indigenous communities express gratitude every day with the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address - often called: “The words that come before all else.” The Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address is the central prayer and invocation for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which comprises the Six Nations - Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora. When one recites the Thanksgiving Address, they’re giving thanks for all life and the natural world around them. According to Hooley, one of the most straightforward actions people can take to decolonise their Thanksgiving includes supporting Indigenous land acknowledgments and land back movements. Land back is an ongoing Indigenous-led movement which seeks to return ancestral lands to Indigenous people and the recognition of Indigenous sovereignty. While the movement is nowhere near new, it received international attention in 2016 during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline - which continues to disrupt land and water sources belonging to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. This year, sit down with family and friends to discuss an action plan and highlight the concrete steps you plan on taking to support Indigenous communities. “Another, even simpler way would be to begin participating in what’s called a ‘Voluntary Land Tax,’ whereby non-Indigenous people contribute a recurring tax to the tribal communities whose land you occupy,” said Hooley. Food is perhaps the most important part of the Thanksgiving holiday, with turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes taking center stage. However, there are many ways we can make sure our dinner tables honour Indigenous futurisms too. Donald A Grinde, Jr is a professor emeritus in the department of Africana and American Studies at the University at Buffalo. Grinde - who is a member of the Yamassee Nation - tells The Independent that crops such as corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, and potatoes are central to Indigenous history and future. “A good thing is to be thankful for the abundance in the fall and note that Native people created over 60 per cent of modern agricultural crops,” he said. “People can be thankful for the crops that Native people created, medicines created, and traditions about democracy, women’s rights and environmental rights.” Rather than buying food from major corporations this year, Hooly also recommended people consciously source their Thanksgiving dinner from Indigenous producers. “Industrial agriculture is one of the most devastating contributors to the destruction of land and water everywhere, including on Indigenous land,” he said. “Instead of buying food grown or made by colonial corporations, people could buy their food from Indigenous producers, or even simply make a greater effort to buy locally grown food or not to buy meat harvested from industrial farms.” Thanksgiving is just a day away. While it’s important that we’re actively working toward highlighting Indigenous communities on this special holiday, decolonisation efforts are something that should be done year-round. “People can also learn about political priorities of the Indigenous communities near them and support those priorities by speaking to their representatives, participating in a protest, or by making sure that their local school and library boards are including Indigenous texts in local community education,” Hooley said. Read More I made an air fryer Thanksgiving dinner so you don’t have to From turkey sandwiches to casseroles: What to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring I made an air fryer Thanksgiving dinner so you don’t have to From turkey sandwiches to casseroles: What to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring

National Vegetarian Week kicks off 15 May, which provides a great opportunity to get creative in the kitchen. Vegetarians, vegans and people who are just looking to cut down on their meat consumption are always looking for great alternatives for classic dishes such as steak or a classic sunday roast. Enter: the roasted cauliflower. Often seen as a mere side, this viral clip featuring a whole roasted cauliflower with a garlic yoghurt and drizzled with tahini and a chimichurri style sauce, has gone viral, with over 1.7 million views and 108,000 likes. Luckily, we’ve sat down with the creator of this viral clip, professional chef and host of foodie favourite the Desert Island Dishes podcast Margie Nomura, who has shared this delicious recipe so you can impress all your friends this National Vegetarian Week and beyond. “This dish is a perfect centrepiece for any vegetarian meal,” says Nomura. “It’s a great substitute for a cut of meat and is easy to make when you’re feeling lazy. “When you roast a cauliflower whole it takes on this buttery, sweet but salty crust in the oven so make sure you roast it until it is soft enough for a knife to cut through. “For the chimichurri, you won’t use all of this for the cauliflower but it keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to two weeks and is amazing served as a salad dressing or on vegetable kebabs.” Roasted cauliflower Ingredients: 1 medium-sized cauliflower (remove thick ugly outer leaves but leave any smaller more delicate ones) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp Maldon sea salt For the chimichurri: Mix together: 1 finely diced shallot 1 diced red chilli pepper 3-4 diced garlic cloves ½ cup red wine vinegar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp red pepper flakes ½ cup finely chopped coriander 2 cups finely parsley ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil (more oil as needed to get the right consistency – it should be runnier than a pesto, more like a heavily flavoured chunky oil) For the garlic yoghurt: 4 heaped tablespoons of Greek yoghurt 1 clove garlic crushed Juice of ¼ lemon 2 tbsp tahini to serve Method: @desertislanddishes Whole roasted cauliflower served on garlicky yoghurt, drizzled with tahini and a chimichurri style sauce. It’s SO GOOD. The cauliflower is like butter, you could cut it with a spoon. #cauliflower #tahini #easyentertaining ♬ Jazz masterpiece "As time goes by" covered by a Jazz violinist by profession(962408) - ricca Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Fill a large pot of water and season well with salt and bring to a boil. Place the cauliflower in, cover and let cook for 6-8 minutes, depending on the size. Check to see if ready by poking the stem with a knife, and then remove the cauliflower and place it on a sheet tray to steam dry for around 10 minutes. Cover with extra virgin olive oil and season well with sea salt. Return to the oven and let roast for 45 minutes until charred and golden all over. Remove from the oven. Spoon some garlicky yoghurt onto a serving plate and pop the cauliflower on top. Drizzle with tahini and chimichurri. Cut into wedges and enjoy! Read More What is coronation chicken? The story of the royal recipe and how to make it Healthy lemony smoked salmon pasta that takes zero effort Easy coronation chicken pie recipe chosen by Mary Berry Andi Oliver on turning 60 and channeling her anger into power Andi Oliver: Earl Grey tea bags are a gamechanger for barbecue chicken Caribbean-inspired coconut and lime cheesecake

F1 returns to the Circuit of the Americas this weekend for the US Grand Prix – and the fifth sprint weekend of the season. Max Verstappen sealed the 2023 world title last time out in Qatar and also claimed his 14th grand prix victory of the season. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was driver of the weekend, however, winning the sprint race and coming second in the grand prix on Sunday. PREVIEW: Daniel Ricciardo must prove he still belongs on the F1 grid Lewis Hamilton had a weekend to forget, crashing into Mercedes team-mate George Russell, while the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were among the chasing pack. Lando Norris finished third to secure a double podium for McLaren. Verstappen won a thrilling race at COTA last year, edging out Lewis Hamilton who has still not won a race since the 2021 season. Hamilton is, however, a five-time winner at the circuit. Charles Leclerc grabbed pole for Sunday’s grand prix after qualifying on Friday. Follow live updates from the United States Grand Prix with The Independent Read More Lewis Hamilton insists F1 must remain extreme: ‘Let’s not get too soft’ Daniel Ricciardo must prove he still belongs on the F1 grid F1 drivers react as sport governing body increases size of fines

This Cyber Monday, Walmart is serving some amazing Apple deals, from AirPods to iPhones. If

The word "bohemian" invokes elements both humble and ornate. In the natural world, it conjures up images of organic flora motifs; in the realm of fashion, it's all about textures like linen, lace, embroidery, or even sequins. To describe a style as "boho" is to equate it with an easy, free-spirited elegance. And, with boho frocks trending for fall, it's no wonder that the effortless bohemian wedding dress style is trending.

Over the years, internet users have increasingly become tired of solving CAPTCHAs just to get

Save $200: Grab the M2 MacBook Air with 256GB of built-in storage at its new

OKLAHOMA CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 21, 2023--

What if any surface could harvest solar solar power? Ubiquitous Energy, a solar tech company

If you own a swimming pool, be it an in-ground pool or an above-ground pool,

A year after protests pushed Beijing to end its strict “zero-COVID” controls, retired architect Zeng Fanzhi is on the road, displaying stark portraits of life under the policy

Smoking causes 150 cancer cases every day in the UK alone, according to a new study. While tobacco smoking in the UK and US peaked to about 50 per cent in the 1950s, this had dropped to around 13 per cent in 2020-21 due to control efforts, said the study. However, historically high smoking rates are still a driving factor of the cancer burden in the countries today, it said. Very high-income countries like the UK are projected to see a 50 per cent increase in cancer cases over the next 50 years, said Cancer Research UK, that funded the study, on Wednesday. Researchers called on MPs to support raising the age of sale of tobacco products as a critical step to create the first ever smoke-free generation. “Action on tobacco would have the biggest impact – smoking causes 150 cases of cancer in the UK every single day,” said Ian Walker, executive director of policy and information at Cancer Research UK. “There are cost-effective tools at hand to prevent cases of cancer, which will save lives around the world. “Tobacco control measures are chronically underfunded. And as a recognised leader in global health, the UK government can play a significant role in addressing this,” Mr Walker said. The study also revealed at least 1.3 million people in seven countries die due to cancer caused by smoking tobacco. The deaths across the UK, US, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa represent over half the world’s annual cancer death burden. The study analysed the years of life that were wasted to cancer. It also assessed whether certain risk factors caused deaths more prematurely. Researchers found four preventable risk factors resulted in almost two million deaths combined and over 30 million years of life lost each year. These factors are smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity and human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. At least 20.8 million years of life are lost from smoking tobacco alone, found the study. It also warned new cancer cases could surge by five times, from 0.6 million to 3.1 million per year in low-income countries over the next 50 years. “These numbers are staggering, and show that with action on a global scale, millions of lives could be saved from preventable cancers,” Mr Walker said. Researchers also found gender differences in the number of cancer deaths. Men were observed to have higher rates of years of life lost to smoking and drinking alcohol as these rates tend to be higher in men. In China, India and Russia, the rates of years of life lost to tobacco smoking and alcohol were up to nine times higher in men than women, found the study. The research was published in the journal eClinicalMedicine and involved the work of researchers from King’s College London and Queen Mary University of London. Read More Binman shoots first Hollywood film after chat with Mark Wahlberg changed his life UK’s tallest living Christmas tree lit up with 1,800 bulbs Morrisons Christmas ad features iconic 80s track and shares support for festive hosts The best foods to forage in November and how to cook them Millions of women able to get contraceptive pills over the counter next year Woman with cystic fibrosis had weeks to live – now she’s climbing mountains