Defining Blogging, Defining Place (2)

Definition 1:  Appalachian peoples have traditionally prized self-reliance and independence. Several years ago, there came a great snowfall in Western Appalachia. The Red Cross came to help people who might be stranded without food or fuel. Two workers heard about an old woman living alone far back into the hills, and they went to see about her. After an arduous trip, they skidded and slid down into her valley, got out and knocked on the door. When she appeared, one of the men spoke.

“Hello, ma'am, we're from the Red Cross,” he said, but before he could finish, the old woman replied, “Well, I don't think I'm goin' to be able to help you any this year. It's been a hard winter.”

Definition 2: Appalachians have a deep love of place. One of the first questions asked, after “Whose boy/girl are you?” is “Where are you from?” We are oriented around place; we remember our homeplace and many of us go back as often as possible. Even when it is difficult to make a living in our homeplace, we don't like to leave, and we at least visit home whenever we can. Sense of place makes it hard for us to leave the hills, and when we do, we miss them.

There is a joke told about Appalachian peoples. This fellow died and went to heaven. St. Peter showed him around, and he was amazed by the streets of gold, heavenly choirs, and harps. Then he heard these people in the corner of heaven raising an awful fuss, arguing, complaining, and shouting. He also noticed they were chained to a wall. He asked St. Peter, “Who are these people?”

“Oh, those are the Appalachian hill folk,” St. Peter said. The man asked, “Why are they chained to a wall?” St. Peter replied, “Well, we have to do that. If we didn't, they'd go home every weekend.”