With the holidays coming up, things are feeling a bit festive this week and we wondered if the colonial founders and the native American Indians were feeling the same way. If we embrace the theory that the colonists and the native Americans were passing more than stuffing and roasted maze in those bowls at the first Thanksgiving, we would need to verify that was possible. With a little digging, we found the answer. Did the first Thanksgiving include smoking a bit of cannabis? After all, you’d have to be pretty relaxed to walk up to a bunch of strangers holding pew-pew bang-bangs and wearing Mary Jane’s on their feet. Here’s what we found.

The Research

In a groundbreaking new study, a University of Chicago researcher used metabolomics—a big-data approach to study small molecules called metabolites—to uncover the relationship between plants and people before and after European colonization of North America. Researchers used antique relics of native American tribes estimated to be 1334 and 1524 years old to conduct the tests. They found that more than 100 plants were smoked in these “peace pipes.” Exactly what was in the pipes depended on the tribe and their location. Some tribes used it in “smuging ceremonies” or to cleanse an area and during community gatherings.

Hemp was already being grown in North America when the colonists arrived. By the early 1600s, hemp had made its way up from the Central Americas and into North America. When the Jamestown settlers made contact with the Powhatans, they found hemp to be one of the main crops cultivated by the tribe in what is now Richmond, Virginia. By the end of the Civil War, hemp was overtaken in popularity by it’s cousin marijuana, with appearances in medicinal tinctures and medicines.

According to historical and anthropological research, several Native American tribes, particularly those in the Western United States, traditionally used cannabis (marijuana) in ceremonial practices, including the Crow, Cheyenne, Sioux, Navajo, and the tribes of the Great Basin; however, it’s important to note that not all tribes utilized cannabis and its use varied significantly across different cultures and regions.

Mostly, the researchers found the presence of the tobacco species, N. rustica, mixed with other plants like sumac to improve the flavor. This is particularly interesting given that N. rustica is still absent from the western United States and was originally domesticated in South America. According to the current scientific consensus, Native Americans in South America originated from people who migrated from Asia across the Bering Strait land bridge into North America and then traveled southward to populate South America. After colonization, relics from that era indicated the species of tobacco found in Europe which means that, for the tribes who could, they traded with the colonists for their tobacco at that point forward.

What was the First Thanksgiving like?

Sometime between September September 21st and November 9th in 1621, not long after the mostly male and Puritan colonists landed at Plymouth Rock, the Wampanoag people and the Plymouth colonists shared a harvest feast that is said to have lasted three days and consisted of corn, porridge, venison, shellfish, cabbage, carrots pumpkins, cranberries, and other celebratory harvest foods.

The Wampanoag chief Massasoit and about 90 of his men joined the 52 English colonists. The Wampanoag likely saw the celebration as a diplomatic event. At the time, the event wasn’t called Thanksgiving and the settlers didn’t call themselves Pilgrims.

Conclusion

Considering that the location of the first Thanksgiving doesn’t historically show that marijuana was used for medicinal purposes or even hemp for textiles and construction, and considering that the tribe the colonists feasted with were not known to use marijuana but, rather, nicotine, in their pipes, it’s unlikely there was any marijuana at the First Thanksgiving. But that doesn’t mean you can’t change history! Take a look at some popular Thanksgiving recipes that contain a little extra kick.

Cannabis Thanksgiving Recipes

Traditional Lemon Herb Marinade

This recipe is enough for an 18-pound bird. If you’ve made your cannabis oil with an average cannabis strain of 10%, you’ll get about 44 mg of THC per serving. Preparing and making this recipe will only take you about 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon finely ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper more if you like things spicy
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/8 teaspoon dried celery seed
• 1/2 cup cannabis-infused olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

• Use a coffee grinder or a spice mill to grind all of the spices and herbs together until they form a fine powder.
• Combine the ground spices with the rest of the ingredients. You can mix by hand with a whisk or in a food processor.
• Mix the ingredients until they are emulsified.
• Put the ingredients into the syringe. Inject the turkey about four hours before cooking.

Cannabis-Infused Mashed Potatoes

The following recipe will serve up to 12 people and give you about 15 mg of THC per serving.

Ingredients:

• Five pounds of cooked and mashed Yukon gold potatoes
• Two three-ounce packages of cream cheese
• ¼ cup of cannabutter
• ¼ cup of regular butter
• ½ cup of sour cream
• ¼ cup of milk
• 1.5 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh rosemary
• Ground white pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Get a large pot of lightly salted water and add the potatoes.
• Bring the pot to a boil and cook until tender (15-20 minutes).
• Drain and mash the potatoes.
• While still warm, mix the mashed potatoes with cannabutter, regular butter, milk, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, and pepper.
• Sprinkle the rosemary on top of the dish and serve immediately.

Beginners Recipe for Cannabutter

Gather your ingredients including your choice of cannabis strain, butter, water, and the necessary kitchen equipment such as a grinder, saucepan, cheesecloth, and a storage container.

1. Start with decarboxylation. Spread your cannabis out on a baking sheet and bake at 245°F (118°C) for about 30-40 minutes.
2. Grind the cannabis. A course grind is best.
3. Melt the butter
4. Add some water and the ground cannabis to the melted butter. Water helps prevent the butter from burning. The cannabis will start to infuse with the butter.
5. Simmer the mixtures on low heat for about two to three hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
6. After simmering, use your cheesecloth to strain the remaining plant material out. Squeeze out as much liquid as you possibly can.
7. Cool and store in a sealed container in your fridge.

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