11/24/2024
https://www.facebook.com/1411313631/posts/10236435075722891/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
Appalachian people are considered a separate culture, made up of many unique backgroundsāNative Americans, Irish, English and Scotch, and then a third descendants of German and Polish immigrantsāall blended together across the region. The mountains also figure into the uniqueness of Appalachia. The mountains kept Appalachia isolated from the rest of the country and from the influence of other people's involvement in their lives. They developed a distinctive culture.
Appalachians are very independent and very content with the places they live. They are very close to nature and have a deeply held belief in God. They are friendly, kind and helpful to one another, taking care of the needs of others. Appalachians also have a strong sense of what is right and what ought to be.
This beautiful region of steep wooded hills, narrow valleys and winding streams is a land of contradictions and tragedy.
Appalachian culture is a real and functioning culture that is revealed through its arts and crafts, traditional music, traditional foods, its customs, its traditions and its somewhat common language. Traditional foods such as greens, potatoes and beans with cornbread and biscuits are the norm.
Appalachians expect others to respect their freedom. Independence and self-sufficiency are very important to the people in the region. The friendly greetings and helping hands offered to strangers by the majority of Appalachians will impress the short-term visitor.
Some notable elements of our Appalachian culture still survive. Many cultural traditions still survive, such as group games, homemade objects, storytelling, home and herbal remedies, clogging and flat foot dancing (a form of dance where the rhythm of the music is beaten out with the feet), tool making, basket making, quilting, and traditional music played on handmade instruments such as banjo, fiddle and dulcimer.
The language spoken in Appalachia is unique also. It is thought to be a blend of Scottish flavored Elizabethan English directly related to the migration patterns of early settlers from these regions.
Today, Appalachian people are more diverse than ever, both rural and urban. Nevertheless, they share a common pride, common values and a common heritage. Our stories are about how we took care of our families and helped each other in Appalachian neighborhoods. Appalachian culture is not to be found in lists of values or characteristics. It is to be found in honestly looking at the stories of our families and our people as a whole.
(By William Hilly) via Kimberly Wright
(New River Gorge, West Virginia, taken by the Appalachian Times and co.)
