Turkey Talk

By now, you should know of my great love for superstitions, and with Turkey Day on the horizon, of course I had to search for any turkey folklore. You might want to pay attention. For Hallowe’en, I posted a blog on owl superstitions. In church last Sunday, my pastor pointed out that right before God’s smackdown and Herod Agrippa was consumed by worms (it’s in the Bible – check it), one account notes an owl perched above him. Bam! Superstition confirmed – watch out for owls.

photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net/ Michael Elliott

But today, we talk turkey. The biggest superstition I found revolved around the wishbone, which didn’t start with turkeys. The Etruscans (ancient old dudes) considered fowl to be soothsayers. All I hear are squawkings and much-too-early crowings, but whatever. To each their own. The collar bone would be sun-baked and used as an oracle for wishes rather than broken. The Romans started the breaking part – they battled over the rare clavicle bone. Gotta fight for those wishes and dreams! The tradition moved on to the English and journeyed on to America with the wild turkey.

photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net/ Tom Curtis

In Medieval Europe, the goose bone governed solid predictions of weather. After an autumn feast day, the sage of the area would examine the dried bone and divine the upcoming winter. People rearranged their lives according to those predictions – take that, weatherman.

photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net/ Elwood W. McKay III

Native Americans, however, saw the wild turkey as sacred, a symbol of sacrifice and a giver of life. In the day, wild turkeys were abundant and a solid source of meat…until the pilgrims came along. And took the turkey for granted. Almost wiped them out. A good reminder: don’t take anything for granted. Be grateful for the gifts you receive, big and small. Be thankful every day, not just on Thanksgiving. Got it? Good.

Oh, and if three turkeys cross your path, expect a strange and eerie encounter.

Do you fight for the wishbone? What are you thankful for every day?