Morning Open Thread is a daily, copyrighted post, from a host of editors and guest writers. We support our community, invite and share ideas, and encourage thoughtful, respectful dialogue in an open forum.
This series was conceived as a haven where folks can drop in to share conversation, ideas, weather reports, and music. Feel free to leave a note, comment, picture, or tune. As always the diarist gets to sleep in, and may show up long after the post is published. So you know, it's a feature, not a bug.
Pull up a chair, get your cup of tea, coffee, or other favorite morning beverage and join us for a neighborly start to the day ahead.
The Southern Appalachians are a special region of the country. Partly due to geography and partly due to the ineffable stubbornness of those who settled there.
Did you know there are more people of Scottish descent living in North Carolina than there are in Scotland?
It is no accident the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, held annually in western North Carolina, is the largest gathering of Scots for a games in the world.
During the American Revolution, when things were not going well for the Patriots, George Washington famously said if he had to, he would retreat to the mountains of North Carolina, where the people would never bend a knee to an English king. He was right.
When this area was settled, a cultural truth emerged. Each group of settlers addressed issues most important to them: The first thing German settlers did was to build a sturdy barn. The Welsh built churches. The Irish and Scots built stills to make whiskey.
They all brought their own music and gift for storytelling with them.
There is an annual storytelling event every year in Jonesborough, Tennessee’s oldest town. Storytellers come from all over to tell their stories. A reporter asked one of the master storytellers what the difference was between a story and a joke. The response: “Fifteen minutes.”
East Tennessee State University in Johnson City has graduate school majors in Storytelling and Bluegrass music. In this area, it is not hard to find a bagpiper for events like weddings and funerals. Of course, bagpipes have now been adapted to rock music, or perhaps it is the other way around.
One of the best Celtic rock groups is Off Kilter. This tune is written about a real road only a thirty minute drive from my house. Copperhead Road is in Johnson County, and I have done work for the Sheriff’s Department there. Fortunately (I think), I have not had the pleasure of meeting any of the Pettimore clan.
As far as knowing people, I actually know Orville Hicks. I have at least one of his books; autographed of course. Orville and Ray Hicks are/were well known master storytellers. They were featured in the National Geographic magazine in a story about Appalachian storytellers. Ray Hicks died a few years ago, but Orville carries on with the tradition. The distinct Appalachian accent is heard everywhere in our area. It is one way you can tell the newer settlers from the true mountain natives.
Jack tales are the local equivalent of the ‘Boudreaux and Thibideoux’ folk tales from Louisiana. Jack seems to be forever having misadventures in these tales.
Finally, here is the ETSU Pride Bluegrass band doing one of their many stage performances. This is an all student band with the help of some of their music professors. When The Water Goes Down is a murder ballad in the best Irish and Scottish folk tradition. Most of these student musicians are working on Master’s Degrees in music.
Most areas have their own cultural history of music, storytelling, cooking, and even dress. What is yours?
Wednesday Lagniappe:
This is for our Sockpuppet, who is justifiably proud of her Cherokee heritage and history. This Pow-Wow took place in Cherokee, North Carolina, not far from our home.
Check out the beautiful native attire. Like the Scottish kilt, you do NOT call this dress “costumes.” It is attire, with powerful spiritual and historical meaning.
This is an open thread.
We have stories, tall tales, weather reports, critter reports, music, and companionship.
Get your favorite breakfast beverage and join us.