Alcatraz Sunrise Gathering, a German's First Thanksgiving Lesson

My first Thanksgiving in America came without a family table. No aunt to call, no turkey to carve, only a free morning and a lot of Heimweh on a Feiertag that was not mine. This gathering offers a different reading of the day. On Thursday, November 26, the International Indian Treaty Council holds a sunrise ceremony on Alcatraz to remember the 1969 to 1971 occupation of the island by Indians of All Tribes. Anyone who takes the early boat can join, and only the ceremony area is open.

This is a ceremony, not a tour, and the island is shared on its terms. Merchandise sales are banned on the island, at Pier 33 and on the sidewalk outside, and no drugs, alcohol or marijuana are permitted anywhere in the gathering. The event is wheelchair accessible. Anyone who misses the boat can still listen, KPFA 94.1 FM broadcasts the gathering from 6 to 8 AM. As a guest from Germany, the right attitude seems simple to me. Listen more than you talk, a little Demut goes a long way.

Boats leave Pier 33 every fifteen minutes from 4:15 to 6:00 AM, and all boats return by 9:00 AM. Round-trip tickets cost $15.50 with fees and taxes included, children under five ride free, and walk-up tickets at the 4:00 AM booth are limited, buy ahead. The bay at dawn is cold and the weather shifts, the classic Zwiebellook and a jacket help. Pünktlichkeit pays off here. Afterward there is still time for a late Frühstück near the wharf and a quiet Thanksgiving of your own.