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What does it mean to “tell the bees”? In this episode, we explore a centuries-old European custom carried into Appalachia by Scots-Irish, English, Welsh, and German settlers. Families once whispered news of births, marriages, and deaths to their hives, sometimes draping them in black cloth or feeding them bits of funeral cake.

Through oral histories and folklore, we trace how "telling the bees" became part of Appalachian death lore and what it reveals about a worldview where nature and humanity were kin. Finally, I'll share a poem by Jane Hicks inspired by this tradition.

Sources: John Greenleaf Whittier, “Telling the Bees” (1858); Leonard Roberts, South from Hell-fer-Sartin (1955); Richard Chase, The Jack Tales (1943); Loyal Jones, Appalachian Values (1995)

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Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon
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*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: aclark@virginia.edu or message me at the link here or on social.

Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain

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If you're following Appalachian digital creators on social media, you've probably come across Appalachian_Bluebird, a vlog created by Southwest Virginia's Brittany Breeding. Inspired by her grandparents and upbringing in Meadowview, Virginia, Brittany shares what she learned from them, including features of her Appalachian dialect, folklore, the histories of old homes in the region, food culture, and funeral rituals. Her videos paired with research and a soothing voice have grown a following of close to 100k viewers who want to hear more about the place she calls home. We'll talk about Appalachia in the digital space, the book (and newspaper column) she's writing, and what we want our kids to remember about their homeplace. You'll also hear interludes of Brittany's content from @appalachian_bluebird.

Support the show

*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review the podcast (if you like it)!
*Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social
*Subscribe to support the podcast on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:
Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon
*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain
*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian
*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: aclark@virginia.edu or message me at the link here or on social.

Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain

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*This is an edited repost of an August 29, 2024 episode*

The word “redneck” might have different connotations today, but its roots tell a very different story. In this episode, we trace the surprising history of the word, from its early association with solidarity among coal miners in the hills of Appalachia to its lasting mark on the American labor movement.

We journey to 1921 and the Battle of Blair Mountain, the largest armed labor uprising in U.S. history, when thousands of miners tied red bandanas around their necks and marched for fair wages, safe working conditions, and dignity on the job. Their fight became a defining chapter in the struggle between working people and corporate power.

Along the way, we hear rare 1974 interviews (courtesy of Appalshop Archive) with two coal miners-Hobart Grills and John Tiller- who remember the stories passed down to them about the danger, the bravery, and the price of standing up against the coal companies.

Included in this episode: a discussion of the word "hillbilly" and what that means to me.

If you think you know what a redneck or hillbilly is, this episode may change your mind.

Music: "Roots" by Andy Bracken

Support the show

*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)!
*Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social
*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:
Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon
*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain
*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian
*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: aclark@virginia.edu or message me at the link here or on social.

Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain