Appalachian Folklore . Ask many Southern Appalachian natives if they believe in ghosts and the answer will be an emphatic no. In this strongly Protestant region, often called the buckle of the Bible Belt, some consider a belief in ghosts to be against the teachings of Scripture. I must have looked confused. After Johnston experienced the spirit first-hand, word quickly began to spread. These settlers were awed by the dense hardwood forests teeming with game, and the fresh, sparkling rivers filled with fish. Photo by BRad06 on Wikimedia. Its growth is shrub-like, reaching about three feet in height and producing small yellow flowers. The history of Appalachia itself is the history of the granny witchcraft tradition; although the name is relatively new, the customs go back a long time. It is very violent, exceedingly strong, alert, and fast. Not to mention lingering health problems, severe pollution, and broken promises of health benefits and pensions. found their way into ghost stories told around the fireplace at night. However. There were hundreds of eyewitnesses, says Jeff Wamsley, owner of Point Pleasants Mothman Museum. Two brothers, Edward and Fred May and their friend Tommy Hyer reported having spotted a bright object cross the sky and land on the property of a local farmer on 12th September 1952 at 7:15 p.m. It was in these mountains and hills that the traditional European belief in the "Fair Folk," "Good Folk," "Gentry," "Little People," etc. Of course, physical and cultural isolation kept many of these Appalachian folklore . If I had to pick one Id say that the most commonly held thought is that the monster is a fun and interesting bit of folklore, says Smith. 3,660 listeners. Subsequently, famous Appalachian ghost stories like the Brown Mountain Lights of North Carolina are thought to be of Cherokee origin. Wampus Cat. Kate re-avowed her scorn and disapproval about Betsy Bells upcoming marriage, says Fitzhugh. slavery. Also on display are the 'fairy tears' which tie the story not with the Moon-Eyed People but The Little People whose fallen tears . People soon began traveling to the Bell farm to experience the supernatural phenomenon for themselves. Common hillbilly stereotypes depict Appalachian culture as poor and white. Since the mid-1800s, thousands of Bigfoot sightings have been reported all over the United States (including dozens of reported sightings in the North Georgia mountains). Appalachian culture and folklore helped build community spirit. It didnt make a sound. Homer relates a story in which Athena gets fed up with the crow, who is a total prankster.She banishes the crow as her sidekick and instead seeks out a new companion. They brought with them colorful, Elizabethan era words and phrases one can find in the works of Shakespeare. Although skirmishes with the Cherokees occurred from time to time, many early settlers learned to co-exist. With fresh memories of the horrors of war, Appalachian storytellers spun ghost stories of eternally damned and suffering soldiers from both sides, their cries heard in the darkness of devastated mountain battlefields. Bluegrass songs claim that the lights are the ghost of a slave searching for his lost master. For example, the eerie mountain mist creeping through areas like the Great Smoky Mountains was of particular significance to them. These are some of the Appalachian Superstitions: a) Never close a knife you did not open, or youll have bad luck for 7 years. If you see a white horse, youll have good luck. They were met with a horrible smell and, according to local reports, saw slight heat waves in the air. Authorities didnt find much, says Smith. John Bell grew so concerned by these violent escalations that he shared his story with a family friend, James Johnston. She talked Betsy into breaking off the engagement with Joshua. A short time later, the poltergeist said she was going to leave but promised to return in seven years. The Appalachian Mountains are some of the oldest mountains on Earth - and if these mountains and valleys could talk, one can only imagine what stories they could tell! Consequently, they sought a place where their Protestant beliefs could flourish without interference. On the contrary, such stories argued that life must be lived to its fullest, no matter the hardships. In conclusion, Appalachian ghost stories are still told, if only in storytelling festivals, movies or books. The Civil War hit Appalachia harder than almost any other region. k) Never give someone a set of knives as a gift. The legends said these people could not see well in the sun and so they came out at night, leading to the name of "moon-eyed people". But Native American life changed dramatically with the arrival of European settlers. The festival features guest speakers, live bands, vendors, cosplay, and even a 5K run. For instance, settlers would share tales of Scottish haints and Irish fairies, then adapt them into Appalachian stories over generations. but none of these tales were taken seriously and were mostly seen as folklore or superstition. According to both Appalachian folk tales and Cherokee legend, a group of pale-skinned humanoids called the Moon-Eyed People might be hiding somewhere in the Appalachian range. His words call to mind the misty 'hollers' and breathtaking views . Before long, people all over the east and southeast knew about it, says Fitzhugh. Of course, ysical and cultural isolation kept many of these Appalachian folklore traditions alive well into the 20th century. Over the following week, there were at least 8 more reported sightings in and around Point Pleasant of a man-like bird with large wings. ohthewitchery: Brought to you mostly by my grandparents, but also by my family at large. At the same time, many Appalachian natives proud of their heritage especially younger students sought to redefine and preserve Appalachian folklore and tradition. When I stop, it stops. Spooked, Smith took a shortcut home through his grandparents backyard. Georgia accelerated the forced removal of the Cherokees by the United States government. These supernatural creatures or spirits are popular across a wide variety of myths, legends . While playing football at the playground of the Flatwoods school, theyd witnessed a bright UFO streak across the sky and land on the property of a local farmer. But Appalachian ghost stories like The Town Without Death didnt flinch from the inevitability of death. Never close a knife you didnt open, or youll have bad luck for 7 years. While reported sightings of the colorful lights are known for their inconsistency, the lights are typically seen at night, especially after a rainfall. But the discovery of gold in north Georgia accelerated the forced removal of the Cherokees by the United States government. F, Spanish and French explorers pushed into Appalachia as early as the 1500, ollowed by immigrants from the British Isles (largely Scotch-Irish). Photo by Tim Bertelink on Wikimedia. Over time, the noises became more intense and more frequent. New words were created to fit the rugged life these settlers faced. Often taking the form of legends (folktales told about a particular person or place as if real events), they typically involve a human character encountering something supernatural. Reportedly, some claimed to have seen the Mothman at the bridge shortly before its collapse and believed its presence was a harbinger of doom. Status: Active. Here are the Appalachian Mountains Folklore: Monsters, Demons and Ghosts; Signs at the entrance to the Bell Witch cave promote ghost tourism in Adams, Tennessee. Several stories about the moon-eyed people attributed to Cherokee tradition are mentioned by early European settlers in America. became crucial to post-Civil War industrialization. After responses, teacher reveals they are the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains . The daughter, Betsy Bell saw a girl in a green dress swinging from the limb of an oak tree. However, moon-eyed people could see various phases of the moon thus getting this name. They were visiting family that still lives in the mountains & rented a cabin near them. Jack is an English hero and archetypal stock character appearing in multiple legends, fairy tales, and nursery rhymes. It might seem obvious to readers, but the Moon-Eyed People were most likely just European settlers. In America, the elves are earthly beings who are dressed in green. Made famous by a 1997 episode ofThe X-Files and the 2002 film The Mothman Prophecies, the Mothman is a fearsome creature with broad wings and red eyes who originated in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Their car suddenly stopped and wouldn't start again. Now, this could just be me but I am pretty sure . The Bell Witch (who is thought to be a woman named Kate Batts) was supposedly cheated in a land purchase by John Bell, the patriarch of the Bell family. This legend went on to state that the haunting followed them into the night which made John Bell have a facial paralysis. March 22 | 2022. W. midwives helped deliver babies in the remote hollows. Deep within the hollows, the settlers staked their claims. Home . If your nose is itching, it means company is coming. Jerry Crew, a logging company employee, discovered a set of extra-large footprints in Six Rivers National Forest. Many Appalachians just wanted to stay out of the fight altogether and ended up attacked by both sides. Migrating from the low valleys into the creek branches, sub-valleys, and steep hillsides, families toiled on rocky terrain not ideal for farming. When the archaeologists came and looked at [the statue] they said theyd never seen anything to compare it to, says Stalcup. Today, exhibits on the Moon-Eyed People can be found at the Cherokee County Historical Museum in Murphy. In Southern Appalachia, the, But Native American life changed dramatically with the arrival of European settlers. You stand frozen in place, eyes locked to that shadowy spot in the woods, waiting for the animal to move. Some thought it was an act of the supernatural, says Fitzhugh. These are all things I heard growing up in the northern region of Appalachia and wanted to share with y'all. There are still claims that the lights seen today are of the spirits of the Catawba women still searching. They think it might even be pre-Cherokee.. . Photo depicting the Bigfoot statue from the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois, United States. Therefore, many ghost stories, songs, superstitions, and folk remedies considered Appalachian folklore can actually be traced back to places like Scotland or Ireland. Fiddlers, accompanied by banjo and dulcimer, would play humorous and plaintive ballads reminding the settlers of their homelands. I just dont believe that many people could have made up the same story, says Wamsley, but what it was they saw, I dont believe will ever be truly explained or solved.. In the Appalachian Jack tales, where the English original would feature a king or other noble, the Appalachian Jack tale version would have a sheriff. However, the killing of livestock attributed to the wampus cat might have been due to early intrusions of coyotes or jaguarundi. As he rode past the grapevines, he heard something moving through the brush behind him. From the American Dialect Society, the wampus cat is described as a creature which was heard whining about camps at night. They were so spooked by their experience that they went directly to the police. What's Your Elemental IQ? Little sanitation, children without shoes or fresh clothes, and large families crammed into dirty, one-room shacks were common sights. An hour later, several men armed with shotguns returned to the scene with Lemon. When you look at how long the story has endured and how many people have put forth theoriesdoctors, lawyers and preachers back in the day signed eyewitness manuscripts saying they witnessed these things, says Fitzhugh. Its just that your imagination and your emotions can fool you.. Just a big old log cabin in the middle of the woods up in the mountains. Tuesday/Thursday 11:10-12:30. They saw an odd-shaped thing that appeared to be glowing red with smoke and steam coming off of it, says Andrew Smith, Executive Director of the Braxton County CVB and curator of the Flatwoods Monster Museum. The couple described it as a large flying man with ten-foot wings that followed their car while they drove in the area outside town known as the TNT area, the site of a former World War II munitions plant. This is just one of many old folklore tells handed down from generation to generation. The Folklore Podcast. Run a chicken over your baby to keep if from getting chicken pox. Michael Rivers, lead investigator of the Smoky Mountain Ghost Trackers and an author who has written extensively about Appalachian folklore, says that the Appalachian Mountains are ripe with paranormal activity. The boys rushed home where they told their story and got accompanied by other local children to the farm to locate whatever had been spotted. They are a legendary group of short, bearded white-skinned people who are believed to have lived in the Appalachia region until they were expelled by the Cherokee Indians. While the backbone of the system, the Blue Ridge, stretches from Georgia north to Pennsylvania. 2 yr. ago. Paperback - July 8, 2019. RT @MorganDaimler: Anyone have recs for Appalachian folklore related to fairies? The name was also used for a mythical creature in J.K. Rowlings Pottermore story, The History of Magic in North America., READ MORE:The 15 Best Things to Do in SWVA (Southwest Virginia). W. was originally brought over by enslaved Africans. Read on to learn more about some of the most famous Appalachian folklore stories and superstitions. The 25+ Best Western NC Christmas Events in Asheville, Bryson City & Beyond! This Halloween I decided to share with you some of the scariest . Locals and tourists alike have reported glowing, orb-like lights in blue, white, orange, and red, hovering approximately 15 feet off the ground in the Brown Mountain area near Morganton NC. While they may not be as widely practiced today, these myths and mountain folklore were passed down by countless generations. Often you hear of fairy circles or rings of mushrooms; some beliefs suggest that it's a sign of good luck or . Maybe youve even sped up on a mountain road at night, thinking you see glowing red eyes in the woods? Appalachian History. Appalachian ghost stories about mining accidents. This years festival will be held on May 13 & 14, 2022. Its no wonder then that many Appalachian ghost stories about mining accidents or mysterious dogs saving miners appeared around this time. To learn more about this Appalachian scary story, visit the Flatwoods Monster Museum in Sutton WV. According to the Gettysburg Times, Yoder and Enochs claimed to have seen a very large bird with large red eyes.. The fairy folk, leprechauns, and other . There are just some things that are a little different in the South. The story of the Bell Witch is one of the most popular examples of Appalachian Mountain folklore, and it began in Robertson County, Tennessee. Clannish and fiercely independent, these settlers had rebelled against restrictive laws back home. Meanwhile, the men hunted the woods for beasties (wild animals) with the help of their loyal dogs, often described as part hound, part cur (or fierce breed of dog). It has somewhat light grey or ginger hair and small red eyes and emits a rank odor similar to the Skunk Monkey. Introduction to Folklore offers theories of folklore studies and core related concepts such as narrative, context, performance, and folklore genres. Some Appalachian farmers now struggled to grow crops. A UFO writer, Gray Barker described the Flatwoods Monster as 10 feet tall, with a round blood-red face, a large pointed hood-like shape around the face, eye-like shapes which emitted greenish-orange light and a dark black or green body. Some thought they did it for money, but the Bell family never charged a cent to anyone staying over in their home., Though Fitzhugh has considered many theories, he says he cant say one way or another what the Bell Witch truly was. Some scholars believe that the danger and isolation of early mountain life gave birth to many of the legends that still exist today, banging around in our brains and compelling us to take an extra look over our shoulder should we find ourselves alone in a dusky forest or a creaky old cabin. g) Dont do any canning or gardening during your period. Furthermore, part of the Underground Railroad ran from Tennessee to points north via Appalachia. They allegedly talked for three nights about the past, the present, and the future, explains Fitzhugh. The first recorded sighting of the Brown Mountain Lights happened in 1771, when German engineer John William Gerard de Brahm wrote about seeing the lights in his journal. We walk around the corner and there's an old cabin. The Fair Folk. ". I had to, he says, and there beside the grapevines was a seven-foot creature. The fact that the UFO sightings, men in black presence, and the Silver Bridge disaster all happened during the Mothman sightings intrigues many people, says Wamsley. Available in Paper: Price $29.95 | Buy Now. Consequently, they sought a place where their Protestant beliefs could flourish without interference. This legend centers around the Bell family. Because they could only see in the dark, the Cherokee called them the Moon-Eyed People. Over the following year, the oddities continued. Publication Date: 2022-12-13. She would often focus on Johns daughter Betsy Bell, pulling the sheets off her bed, or even physically harming her with kicks, punches, and scratches. w this character reacts teaches lessons about this societys moral codes. Locally carved crafts, fiddles and dulcimers are sold in gift shops. As the legend goes, the Moon-Eyed People eventually abandoned their homeor were driven from itand traveled west, never to be seen again. Legends say that fairies went into hiding to avoid the humans who invaded their lands. She spent her weekends in high school swimming at the Sinks or camping at Cades Cove. To experience these Appalachian legends for yourself, visit the Historic Bell Witch Cave, which located in Adams TN. Southern Folklore . With fresh memories of the horrors of war, Appalachian storytellers spun ghost stories of eternally damned and suffering soldiers from both sides, their cries heard in the darkness of devastated mountain battlefields. Signs at the entrance to the Bell Witch cave promote ghost tourism in Adams, Tennessee. Also known as the Bell Witch Haunting, it is a legend centred on the 19th-century Bell family of northwest Robertson County, Tennessee. Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. We took a look at six of the most popular legends in our region. Is it a bear? Animal Folklore and Myths of Britain Difficult 7. Native American tribes in Appalachia had their own unique cultures and oral folk traditions. Some of these known cultures by the traditional people of the Appalachian may not be widely practised in the present day, but their myths and mountain folklore were passed down through several generations. People have written down and passed through the generations accounts of what this thing allegedly said, says Fitzhugh. These fairy tales, combined with regional events, also shaped Appalachian folklore. Some call it " Backwoods Magic ". On their way to see the light, the boys stopped to tell their mother, Kathleen May, who asked National Guardsman Eugene Lemon to join them. If youre walking with someone you have to go on the same side of a post or obstacle, or it will break your friendship. It is a flesh-eating beast that is considered most active during the . The national press picked up the story, and Mothman became a sensation. Appalachian Granny Witch Remedies (of course, folks, use your common sense, and see a doctor when needed!) As the exodus of young families from the mountains grew, the Appalachian dialect became less prevalent. For more information on this infamous Appalachian monster, visit the Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant, where you can take a selfie with the massive Mothman statue displayed prominently outside. Ralph claimed that he had extra-terrestrial encounters on Brown Mountain and made a trip with aliens to their home planet of Venus in 1965. Fairies in America: Green Elves & Pixies. And the lessons these legends taught were comforting to early settlers, combating fear and uncertainty in the strange land they suddenly found themselves in. Throughout the southern Appalachian mountains, from Georgia to North Carolina, strange stone structures have been unearthed and discovered. A. Cherokees learned to adopt civilized ways of life, such as individual farming, business ownership, and their own syllabary and newspaper. On the ground, theres an imprintlike a human foot but much larger, nearly two feet long and eight inches wide. Appalachian Granny Witch Remedies (of course, folks, use your common sense, and see a doctor when needed!) African-Americans leaving the South during the Great Migration were recruited by the mining companies, especially in Central Appalachia. After John Bells mysterious death in 1820, the Bell Witch continued to haunt his family. They used odd assortments of herbs, tonics, and roots to treat everything from typhoid fever to measles. The Appalachian culture is widely known for its superstitions, myths, legends and folklore. However, Granny Women didn't view their work as magic, but as healing arts. The Flatwoods monster that is also known as the Braxton County monster is an entity reported to have been sighted in the town of Flatwoods in Braxton. An enslaved person of the Bell family reported being followed by a large black dog on evenings as he visited his wife. Theres no doubt about Bigfoots existence in Phil Smiths eyes. Starvation, poverty and malnutrition were common. The Wampus Cat (a.k.a. T. The Ghost Story Guys. One of the stories given by a priest in 1721 stated that these huge creatures used to stalk them at night. Fairy lore and beliefs has its origin in the folklore and traditions of the Scots-Irish and Irish settlers to the Appalachian Mountains. There are countless popular Appalachian music artists that have recorded and performed Appalachian folk music. In the early 1900s, the lumber and coal industries made inroads into Appalachia. According to legend, Jackson and his party set up their tents outside of the Bell home. Therefore, if you find yourself in such places, listen closely for unique words and sayings like: Traveling the Strange South Through Storytelling, But Appalachian ghost stories serve as vessels of mountain folklore, culture, and values stretching back generations. The origin of the fairy stones of Appalachia! In fact, the dark-skinned Melungeon people of Central Appalachia are believed to be a tri-racial group consisting of African, Native American and European ancestries. This narrow and extensive mountain system parallels the eastern coast of North America for nearly 2,000 miles. The arrival of European settlers avoid the humans who invaded their lands Betsy Bells upcoming marriage, Fitzhugh! Met with a family friend, James Johnston Bryson City & Beyond the lumber and industries. 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