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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Each year, the community of San Elizario pays |
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tribute to an important early chapter in the history of Texas and |
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the southwestern United States with the First Thanksgiving |
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Celebration of Cultures Conference and Commemoration; and |
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WHEREAS, The festival looks back at events that took place in |
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1598, when a colonizing expedition under the command of Juan de |
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Onate made an arduous crossing of the Chihuahuan desert in northern |
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Mexico and arrived on the banks of the Rio Grande near the site of |
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present-day San Elizario; the group held a feast on April 30 to give |
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thanks for the survival of expedition members, and that celebration |
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is considered by many people to be the first Thanksgiving in North |
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America, having taken place 23 years before the Pilgrim settlers of |
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the Plymouth Colony in New England held a similar observance; the |
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meal was also significant because Juan de Onate used the occasion to |
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formally claim the lands drained by the Rio Grande for the Kingdom |
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of Spain; and |
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WHEREAS, Modern-day residents of the El Paso area began |
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commemorating the First Thanksgiving in 1989; that year, more than |
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100 costumed participants reenacted the historical feast at the |
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Chamizal National Memorial, with members of the Tigua Indian |
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community playing the parts of the Native Americans who had |
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assisted the Spanish expedition after its arrival at the Rio |
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Grande; the observance was attended by officials from Mexico and |
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the United States as well as by a direct descendant of Juan de |
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Onate, and a fiesta took place in San Elizario to coincide with the |
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event; and |
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WHEREAS, That initial reenactment has evolved into the First |
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Thanksgiving Celebration of Cultures Conference and Commemoration, |
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which is sponsored each spring by the San Elizario Genealogy and |
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Historical Society and by the El Paso Mission Trail Association; |
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this fun and informative gathering includes lectures, musical |
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performances, dance presentations, and arts and historical |
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displays in addition to the re-creation of the feast; and |
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WHEREAS, The lands now encompassed by the State of Texas |
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played a prominent role in the early colonization of North America, |
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and the organizers of the First Thanksgiving celebration are |
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deserving of recognition for helping to focus public attention on |
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that rich historical saga; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor the First Thanksgiving Celebration of |
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Cultures Conference and Commemoration and commend the residents of |
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San Elizario, the community's Genealogy and Historical Society, and |
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the El Paso Mission Trail Association for hosting this outstanding |
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event. |