New Post
Search
Help[Opinions] I'm going to have to go against the grain... (m)
in reply to a message by Sabrina Fair
Most of my family lives in Appalachia; both my parents' parents were born and raised there as were their parents and grandparents before them. It may sound downright boastful to say that my ancestors were the first settlers to arrive in Kentucky in the 1700s, but really, it's just my immense pride talking. :)
For me, Appalachia denotes a rich history, a melting pot of Irish, Scottish, Welsh and German customs. Appalachia is a place that attracted immigrants with a strong desire for freedom from the oppression and poverty they faced in their own country. They had a great will to live and survive in the harsh wilderness. And because of the remoteness of the region, a unique culture was fostered and thrived, full of music, religion, art and superstition (and moonshine!).
Yes, there is the poverty aspect, and while my family isn't poor, there are those that are and unfortunately, poverty is a blight on an otherwise charming and attractive region and culture. However, if you talk to those Appalachians, while they say they might be poor money-wise, they'll say they've been quite blessed in other ways because for many of them, as long as they have their family, home and G-d around them, they count themselves rich and happy and make do 'with what the good L-rd gave them'. There's hardly a house that you'll walk in and not find a copy of the Bible on the table.
So, what do I think of Appalachia as a name? I think anyone should be honoured to carry a name so rich in history and culture.
If you're interested in documentaries, Rory Kennedy-Bailey (the late RFK's daughter) filmed a two-hour documentary of a family that lived just outside of Hazard, Kentucky (about a hundred miles from where I live). The attitude of the family is common among many Appalachian families and gives a good idea of how 75% of them live and of their values, norms and morés.
For me, Appalachia denotes a rich history, a melting pot of Irish, Scottish, Welsh and German customs. Appalachia is a place that attracted immigrants with a strong desire for freedom from the oppression and poverty they faced in their own country. They had a great will to live and survive in the harsh wilderness. And because of the remoteness of the region, a unique culture was fostered and thrived, full of music, religion, art and superstition (and moonshine!).
Yes, there is the poverty aspect, and while my family isn't poor, there are those that are and unfortunately, poverty is a blight on an otherwise charming and attractive region and culture. However, if you talk to those Appalachians, while they say they might be poor money-wise, they'll say they've been quite blessed in other ways because for many of them, as long as they have their family, home and G-d around them, they count themselves rich and happy and make do 'with what the good L-rd gave them'. There's hardly a house that you'll walk in and not find a copy of the Bible on the table.
So, what do I think of Appalachia as a name? I think anyone should be honoured to carry a name so rich in history and culture.
If you're interested in documentaries, Rory Kennedy-Bailey (the late RFK's daughter) filmed a two-hour documentary of a family that lived just outside of Hazard, Kentucky (about a hundred miles from where I live). The attitude of the family is common among many Appalachian families and gives a good idea of how 75% of them live and of their values, norms and morés.
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
thanks, I'll look into it :)
1