Thanksgiving in the United States is often tied to the Pilgrims of Plymouth in 1621.
The story of Thanksgiving in the United States is often tied to the Pilgrims of Plymouth in 1621, but history reveals that a similar celebration occurred decades earlier. In 1598, Spanish explorer Juan de Oñate led an expedition into what was then New Spain, near present-day San Elizario, Texas, and held a thanksgiving ceremony to mark the survival of his group after a perilous journey across the Chihuahuan Desert. This event, though less widely remembered, represents one of the earliest recorded thanksgivings in North America.
Oñate’s expedition consisted of around 500 people who endured extreme hardship during their trek northward from Mexico. After crossing the desert with little food or water, the group finally reached the Rio Grande, where they found sustenance and safety. In gratitude for their survival, Oñate declared a day of thanksgiving on April 30, 1598, which included prayers, feasting, and religious ceremonies. This act of giving thanks was deeply rooted in Spanish Catholic tradition, emphasizing divine providence and communal celebration.
The feast itself differed greatly from the later Plymouth Thanksgiving. Instead of turkey and stuffing, Oñate’s group likely ate fish, game, and local foods available along the Rio Grande. The ceremony was not only a celebration of survival but also a symbolic moment of claiming new territory for Spain. It combined religious devotion with cultural practices, reflecting the Spanish approach to colonization and settlement in the New World.
Juan De Onate’s thanksgiving celebration occurred 23 years before the Pilgrims’ feast.
When compared to the Pilgrims’ 1621 feast in Massachusetts, Oñate’s thanksgiving highlights the broader context of European colonization. The Plymouth event is often remembered as a collaboration between English settlers and Native Americans, while Oñate’s thanksgiving was more focused on his expedition’s endurance and Spain’s imperial mission. Importantly, Oñate’s celebration occurred 23 years before the Pilgrims’ feast, showing that the tradition of giving thanks on American soil was not exclusive to the English.
Despite its historical significance, Oñate’s thanksgiving has been overshadowed by the Plymouth narrative, which became central to American identity. The Pilgrims’ story was embraced in the 19th century as part of the nation’s founding myth, while Spanish contributions were often overlooked. In recent years, however, historians and communities in Texas have revived recognition of Oñate’s 1598 thanksgiving, commemorating it as the “first Thanksgiving” in North America.
Juan de Oñate’s thanksgiving in New Spain represents an important but often forgotten chapter in American history. His 1598 celebration preceded the Pilgrims’ feast by more than two decades, reminding us that the tradition of gratitude and communal feasting has diverse origins. By acknowledging Oñate’s role, we gain a fuller understanding of the cultural and historical roots of Thanksgiving, recognizing that it was not just an English tradition but part of a broader tapestry of European and Indigenous experiences in the New World.
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Copyright 2025 by Gilberto Quezada. All images in this blog are in the public domain.