Thanksgiving celebrations share many names, cultures

Yoshino Hiraki has embraced all the American Thanksgiving holiday has to offer.

"I love the turkey and ham; I love being with friends," said the University of North Alabama senior. "We always get together at a friend's house and have all this good food."

When Hiraki came to the Shoals in 2003, she was curious about this feasting holiday. But when she asked about the meaning behind Thanksgiving, it wasn't the American students who responded to her questions.

"Other international students explained it to me and how it's about the Pilgrims and the first harvest," she said, adding that the scale of the holiday is similar to the New Year celebrations she has at home in Japan, during which sushi and other fish and meat dishes are traditional fare.

The idea of a feast to celebrate the bounty of the season as well as the idea of coming together as a family or close-knit friends is not unique to America. In fact, many countries and cultures around the globe share similar celebrations.

Evan Ward, director of the Center for International Programs and an associate professor of history at UNA, said the essence of Thanksgiving is evident throughout the world.

"It transcends cultures," he said. "In June, I led a group of students abroad to the ruins of Uxmal in Mexico. Majestic pyramids, towering over the tropical plain, were symbols of the Mayan dependence on rain. Yearly celebrations emphasized this. Not six months later, on a misty morning, I entered the gates of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China. Its most prominent building, The Hall of Prayers for Good Harvests, reflected the Chinese emperor's sense of dependence on a higher power for sustenance."

Americans have come to associate Thanksgiving with specific foods, including turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, and, like the day itself, those take on regional significance and become a reflection of the culture, Ward said.

"On a universal level, they recognize - as did the Pilgrims and natives in the 17th century in New England - that we need each other, and we cannot survive on our own," he said.

Campus Outreach as well as members from Greek organizations at UNA sponsored a traditional Thanksgiving meal for the international students as a way to bridge the gap between cultures and allow for interaction between the students.

Katie Rolf, a student intern at Campus Outreach and one of the organizers of the meal, said students have to be willing to see outside of themselves and their culture to really appreciate Thanksgiving as it's celebrated in the United States.

"Students took a break from their routine to come together, and I, for one, see the value in family and make a point to meet more often," she said. "I expect these students who participated felt that and felt that there was a bigger point to the holiday. College life is great, and it goes by fast, but you really miss out on a part of that if you're not engaged with other people."

It is the coming together that is so appealing to Naelh Alzain, a UNA student from Saudia Arabia. At home, she said she will get together with members of both sides of her family at least once a week to share a meal. The most special time, however, comes twice a year when Alzain and other Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha, she said.

Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims and Druze worldwide in commemoration of the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah. It's celebrated to break the fast during Ramadan, which typically happens in September or October.

"We might eat rice with meat, and we have lots of desserts, like dates covered in yogurt," Alzain said. "In America, I can't eat the meat, but I like the sweets - the pecan and pumpkin pies. The first thing I noticed about Thanksgiving is that there seems to be a shift in gears, slowing down and taking more time with each other. What I don't understand is why this coming together happens just once a year."

In keeping with the Muslim tradition, meats must be prepared according to Islamic tradition, or halal, much the same way as certain foods for Jewish people must be kosher.

Family, like food, is a central theme to the American holiday, and giving thanks for that is a universal sentiment, Ward said.

"Perhaps the family, as a fundamental unit of human civilization, reflects the proper place for it to be recognized and celebrated," he said. "If food is the physical element that sustains us, it is those who are closest to us that sustain our efforts, trials and struggles the rest of the year.

"Family is also a term that has, for centuries, around the world, signified inclusiveness. This makes home a magnet, not just for family, but also for those who are or might be alone during these special times of year."

Unlike American students, many international students at UNA can't make it home when the university closes for Thanksgiving.

Ward said many will use the time away from campus and classes to visit relatives and friends throughout the United States, while "others join friends they have made at the university to experience Thanksgiving with adopted American families."

Michelle Rupe Eubanks can be reached at 740-5745 or michelle.eubanks@timesdaily.com.