The Appalachians
The Appalachian Culture!


Hawaiian Joe

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awaiian Joe, Inc.
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 The Appalachian Culture

          The adjectives that describe the people of the Appalachian Mountains are as diverse as the citizens themselves.  Often criticized for being awkward and backward, these people’s isolation spans a long range of history.  The roots of these people appear to lie in the mountains and moors of Scotland.  In their early civilization, they were repeatedly invaded by the English, but they stood firmly and refused to bow to foreign authority.  These conflicts with the English would continue for centuries.  King James I devised a plan to alleviate these tensions by giving the Scots farmland in Northern Ireland.  This plan would pit them against troublemakers of the British, the Irish.¹

          The fighting continued for centuries, and these tortured people became known as Scots Irish.  Eventually, they made the decision to immigrate to the New World.  Between the years of 1720-1725, this mixed culture moved into the regions of Pennsylvania and Delaware.  The reception at their arrival of the New World was not a pleasant one.  The English, German, and Dutch inhabitants saw these new people as rowdy, uncivilized mobs.  Once again shunned, these people headed for the back country, and the Western Expansion gave them the space they longed for, and they brought few possessions with them.¹

          One of these possessions, however, would prove invaluable – distilling equipment.  The Scots Irish people referred to the distilled liquid as “Water of Life.”  Not only did it provide a high, it had medicinal as well as monetary worth. As the Mountain People forged westward, they were met with more challenges. Now, they had to deal with the Cherokee and Iroquois tribes who were already occupying these regions.  Upon becoming experts at fighting the tribes and developing methods and tactics of war against the Native Americans, the Scots-Irish people finally claimed the land that they had so desired.  Four years before the Declaration of Independence was signed, these people declared themselves free from British rule with the Watauga Association

          Over 900 Mountain Men challenged Major Patrick Ferguson in his battle at Kings Mountain, North Carolina.  Ferguson had stated God could not move him from his mountain.  Unfortunately, after only one hour, 150 of Ferguson’s men were dead, including himself, and 800 of his men were captured by the Mountain Men.  Major Ferguson was killed by Robert Young, and his body was laid to rest at King’s Mountain to validate his statement that he would never leave his mountain.¹

          After the Revolutionary War, there was a significant amount of debt, so as a recovery effort, Treasure Secretary, Alexander Hamilton, issued a tax on whiskey to counter the debt.  This government involvement in something the mountain people felt they had no business becoming involved in scarred the relationship between the government and mountain people.¹

          Prior to the Civil War, the main income of the people of the back woods was from whiskey.  Corn was grown and sold in the market, but the process of distilling was even more profitable.  As much as 90,000 gallons could be produced in one day, but more problems were on their way.  In 1862, the government became involved once again.  This time, they placed a heavy tax on the distillers, and armed government employees were sent in to take down the moonshiners as they became known.  These people once again fled for the safety of the mountains and continued to make moonshine undercover.  The consistent battles and flights for safety marked these people as stubborn and independent.¹

          In the 1960s, marijuana began to be a cash crop for the mountain people somewhat replacing moonshine.  The climate and soil conditions are ideal for the growth of this prohibited drug.  The state of Kentucky seems to be a prime supplier of marijuana in the U.S.

          Presently, methamphetamine production and addiction threatens the citizens of Appalachia.  Considering its ease in manufacturing, many former marijuana growers have transferred their efforts to this dangerously illicit drug. Through fear of authority and resistance of many laws that the people of the Appalachians staunchly disagreed with, these people learned to become self-reliant.  These habits have set the people of the mountains apart from the remainder of the society throughout history.  The living arrangements of many of these individuals are substandard at best considering:  70% live at or below the poverty level; 40% live without running water; and 20% have no vehicle.

          The values of these people are deeply rooted, and they provide a meaning to the life that seems so odd to those who observe this culture.  Family is a major component of the Appalachian Mountain lifestyle.  These people tend to be very clannish and are often willing to go to great lengths to protect themselves and their kin. Neighbors are also often regarded as family.  The views of the Appalachian people toward the future are generally fatalistic, and there seems to be a common preference to confrontation over dialogue.  As previously stated, the people of the Appalachians are likely to be distrusting of outsiders and authority and their deep-rooted values do not mesh well in the urban environment.

          With the prevalence of coal mining in this area of the country, prescription drugs are often dispensed by doctors who visit the coal mining camps to provide drugs just to keep the employees working when they are medically unable.  Due to injuries, dangerous conditions, and many hours crouched in tiny spaces in the mines, miners often resort to alcohol and pain killers to alleviate the pain.  Many of these prescription drugs are so freely distributed that patients reach the point where they begin to self-medicate, thus the abuse begins.  As previously mentioned, the hospitality between families and neighbors of the Appalachian people is a cherished value, and due to this, drugs are often freely shared in this culture.

          Medically speaking, the lifestyles of the Appalachian people can be harmful to their health, and due to their issues with trust, these people are not likely to seek medical assistance if it can be avoided.  The mountain people tend to have a profound fear of doctors, hospitals, and medical personnel in general. Ironically, however, more and more of these people have become addicted to prescription drugs such as Oxycontin and Percocet.  The eastern portion of Kentucky ranks highest nationwide in Oxycontin abuse.  This abuse can also be connected to a rise in crime in this area, such as:  robbery, theft, assault, and prescription fraud.  Oxycontin related deaths are also on the rise in Kentucky  It has been reported that due to lifestyle choices and the addictions to drugs and alcohol by the Appalachian people, death rates in general that are four times that of the rest of the country.

          There are a host of obstacles in treatment for the individuals of the Appalachian region.  One of the main issues is the lack of health insurance.  Fear and distrust of the outsider and authority make it difficult for many people of this region to seek medical assistance.  These citizens forged a home deep in the mountains to be protected and safe, and this isolation coupled with their lack of transportation are often barriers in their seeking medical attention.

¹ History Channel (2007). Hillbilly: The Real Story [DVD].

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