If i had to say what my favorite holiday was, I’d choose Thanksgiving. As a kid, it always seemed to take FOREVER for Thanksgiving to arrive and the holiday from school to occur. Thanksgiving is all about giving without expecting anything in return. In 1621, the Native American Wampanoag tribe helped the colonists with agriculture and hunting, celebrating with a harvest feast. They dined on wild turkeys, ducks, geese, fish, corn, green vegetables, and dried fruits.
Here we have a beautiful Indian Maiden, Cousin Jean Bourscheidt. I wondered why she might have dressed up, so I did my favorite thing and started some research. I believe she belonged to a drama and dance group that performed tableau’s. A tableau is a “living picture” or a static scene. Actors are usually silent, dressed in costume with props or scenery. Tableau’s began in the medieval period and was revived in the 19th century. This art form was very suitable for photography and later movies. Many groups would dance into a scene, hold a pose and then dance into another scene and holded pose until the performance was completed. It’s the perfect combination of theater and visual arts.
Cousin Jean did not date these photos, so I am unsure when they were taken. But I would estimate them to have been taken during the 1920s based on where the images were in her scrapbook. And how she looks in the photos.
There are so many things I am thankful for this year, but at the very top of the list are all of you. Thank you for taking the time to engage with my blog posts on this website or social media. Your support and feedback are what inspire and motivate me to keep writing. Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with the warmth and happiness of the season.
