i) Dont walk under a ladder. 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. The lights, claim the legend, are the ghosts of grieving women still searching the mountainside for the bodies of fallen warriors. So are the Moon-Eyed People another Appalachian Mountain scary story, or just early European settlers who never received their due credit? Strangeways Brewing, which has locations in Richmond and Fredericksburg, Virginia brews a beer named after the Wampus Cat, the Wampus Cat Triple IPA. Some came as curiosity seekers and some as skeptics trying to debunk what the Bells were experiencing. For generations, myths and superstitions have been passed down through the oral traditions of native tribes and early settlers, gaining a foothold in our Appalachian culture. Skip to content. This years festival falls on September 17 and 18, 2022. . ohthewitchery: Brought to you mostly by my grandparents, but also by my family at large. There are countless popular Appalachian music artists that have recorded and performed Appalachian folk music. j) Dont let anyone sweep under your feet. Read on to learn more about some of the most famous Appalachian folklore stories and superstitions. Cherokee folklore influenced Appalachian storytelling in the way it dramatically characterized animals or other inanimate objects in nature. May described the figure to have small, claw-like hands, clothing-like folds and a head that resembled the ace of spades. The Appalachian Mountains hide not only mysterious creatures, phantoms, and underground bases, but also anthropological mysteries as well. According to Cherokee legend, long ago, before the Cherokee moved into the Smokies, there was a race of small, bearded white men who lived in the mountains. Articles on oral traditions, myths, old wives' tales, fables, tall tales, legends, and ballad lore, back to 2006. Deep within the hollows, the settlers staked their claims. May 15-19, 22-26 & May 29-June 2. In A Witch's Guide to Faery Folk, Edain McCoy refers to this kind as green elves. Therefore, many ghost stories, songs, superstitions, and folk remedies considered Appalachian folklore can actually be traced back to places like Scotland or Ireland. Appalachian Folklore . Imagine youre deep in the woods when you spot a sudden movement through the trees. Consequently. As a result, the mortality rate soared. According to author Julia Montgomery Street, whose tale of this mysterious race is displayed in the Cherokee County Historical Museum, the men possessed all the land from the Little Tennessee River to Kentucky, with a line of fortification from one end of their domain to the other. The men, who lived in rounded log cabins, had large blue eyes and fair white skin and were sun-blind during the day, emerging from their homes only at night to hunt, fish, wage war and build their fortifications. In July 2016 the Charlotte Observer reported that Forest Service officers had reported close-up encounters on the mountain with beach ball sized orbs that floated by and then vanished. As a result, many families fell into poverty, with disease and malnutrition spreading. The Civil War hit Appalachia harder than almost any other region. To learn more about this Appalachian scary story, visit the Flatwoods Monster Museum in Sutton WV. My aunts are from Gatlinburg. Skeptics accused the Bell family of doing it by knowing how to act and using ventriloquism. Legends say that fairies went into hiding to avoid the humans who invaded their lands. Legend tells of a brutal battle betweenCherokee and Catawba warriorson Brown Mountain,which left many dead on the battlefield. Theres not a consensus, on what happened in Flatwoods that evening, says Smith. Appalachian Folklore, Wives Tales, and Superstitions. Leaving behind a culture largely of European descendants and, as latter day research has shown, a growing number of Africans. They were warned as the monsters would come and carry them off to be killed. Around 2 in the morning the youngest aunt (she was probably late 20's) went to get something to drink. The Appalachian Mountains stretch from the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador to northern Alabama and Georgia. 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. Is it a bear? But Appalachian ghost stories serve as vessels of mountain folklore, culture, and values stretching back generations. In fact, some early European settlers owned slaves, and the Cherokees held the most slaves of any Native peoples e, While some Appalachian white farmers were slaveowners, the region as a whole d, In fact, some Africans lived freely in certain mountain communities for generations. She kept herself too pure for the devil to . Chase alleged that many of the Jack tales were collected by a group of families in North Carolina and came into Southern Appalachia from that area. Some of these are just that "tales". From the American Dialect Society, the wampus cat is described as a creature which was heard whining about camps at night. or written within the Appalachian region. The Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina have some of the tallest peaks (Mount Mitchell in North Carolina is the highest Appalachian peak at 6,684 feet). The plaque says, These people are said to have been unable to see during certain phases of the moon. Appalachia saw its share, . The 25+ Best Western NC Christmas Events in Asheville, Bryson City & Beyond! At the same time, many Appalachian natives proud of their heritage especially younger students sought to redefine and preserve Appalachian folklore and tradition. In fact, some early European settlers owned slaves, and the Cherokees held the most slaves of any Native peoples especially among the elite plantation owners in Southern Appalachia. According to legend, Jackson and his party set up their tents outside of the Bell home. mixed with the indigenous belief in the "Little People" called "Yunwi Tsunsdi" in Cherokee, and . 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. Because they could only see in the dark, the Cherokee called them the Moon-Eyed People. split among regions, towns, and even within families. They used odd assortments of herbs, tonics, and roots to treat everything from typhoid fever to measles. activities like corn shuckings, house raisings, and log rollings b, church didnt approve of dancing. The Appalachian Granny Magic Tradition of Witchcraft is one that is only recently being heard of. Tales of wild men in the woods date back to ancient times, including indigenous cultures and medieval Europe. Stories, quotes and anecdotes from Appalachia. Here I will share some of my own, but also from other great Appalachians. Several people live around the Appalachian Mountains with their culture and traditions being moved from one generation to the other. Between the Blue Ridge and the fall line, a rolling plateau known as the Piedmont takes up large portions of Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. Many Appalachian communities were stuck between equally violent, plundering forces. You stand frozen in place, eyes locked to that shadowy spot in the woods, waiting for the animal to move. The Moon-Eyed People. For instance, everyone knew the moon affected planting cycles, the tail of a hound dog attracted lightning, and an, ax placed under the bed of a birthing mother would kill the pain, would come alive with spooky, unknown sounds. Signs at the entrance to the Bell Witch cave promote ghost tourism in Adams, Tennessee. The Fae Folk, also known as the Good Folk or fairies/faeries, come from the Otherworld. In Flatwoods, a young couple encountered the monster when they were taking a drive one night. An hour later, several men armed with shotguns returned to the scene with Lemon. On the contrary, such stories argued that life must be lived to its fullest, no matter the hardships. Remember that waterfalls and rocky summits can be dangerous. Many ghost stories and legends have their origins in real life hardship and tragedy. Mothman and the Flatwoods Monster. Artists impression of the Flatwoods monster. Hold your feet up when youre crossing a railroad track, or youll lose your boyfriend. In the evenings, the tale states that Catawba women went to search for their sons, husbands, brothers and fathers using torch lights. 09 Jan 2023 12:39:40 Many lives were lost. We are always working to improve this website for our users. On the ground, theres an imprintlike a human foot but much larger, nearly two feet long and eight inches wide. The hauntings began sometime between 1817 and 1821, when the Bell Witch would show up disguised as an animal, such as a dog or bird. The event made local and national news, and even prompted an official U.S. Air Force inquiry! Today, tourists come from all over the country to visit the home of the Flatwoods Monster. Open the window when someone dies and cover the mirrors so that their soul can leave. Photo by Bloodyboppa on Wikimedia. Folklore Appalachia - Clay County Kentucky And be willing to hike a little while in the dark! 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. Furthermore. Three days later, two young couples were driving together near an abandoned World War II TNT plant about five miles north of Point Pleasant when they saw a large flying man with 10-foot wings, and eyes that glowed red. They tried to flee the unidentified animal, speeding down the road at a reported 100 miles per hour, but the creature followed them back to Point Pleasant city limits. To experience these Appalachian legends for yourself, visit the Historic Bell Witch Cave, which located in Adams TN. Similar reports came in over the next few days, and the sensational story was soon picked up by the local newspaper. A book by Richard Chase, published in 1943, is a collection of at least some of the Jack tales. Hence, these social workers brought what became the first wave of modernization to the hills. Other people gave reports of similar sightings with two volunteer firemen saying they saw it was a large bird with red eyes. Appalachian folks blended ancient Celtic rituals from Scotland and Ireland, Protestant Christianity, and African traditions with teaching from local Native Americans into a unique mixture of witchcraft, religion, and earth magic. The Wendigo is a creature, sometimes referred to as an evil spirit, that is said to be 15 feet tall with a body that is thin, with skin pulled so tight that its bones are visible. The raging waters washed out roads and bridges and took out power for several weeksbut the Brown Mountain Lights were still spotted in the night sky. And the Mothman sightings continued. It eventually developed a whispering voice and within a year it could speak. If cows are laying down, or leaves are upside down, its going to rain. Other stories claim the moon-eyed people created the areas pre-Columbian ruins and they disappeared from the area completely without leaving any trace. 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. Dont cut your babys hair before their first birthday. Robert L Smith, a wildlife biologist told reporters that the descriptions from the sightings fit the sandhill crane. Broadly speaking, Southern Appalachia supported the Confederacy, Northern Appalachia the Union, and Central Appalachia was stuck somewhere in between. Appalachian culture and folklore helped build community spirit. Paperback - July 8, 2019. The 20 Best North Georgia Christmas Events for 2022, 20 Ways to Celebrate Christmas in the Blue Ridge Mountains, 20 Fun, Festive Places to Celebrate Christmas in Georgia (2022), The 20 Best Christmas Lights in Atlanta and North Georgia (2022). 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. The Appalachian ghost story eventually became famous enough to reach General Andrew Jackson. Bartons legend about the moon-eyed people is from a story he heard from Leonard Marbury who was an early European settler in the area. Appalachian Tales, Remedies, & Folklore Folks who inspire me The Appalachian Tail Go To Recipes Life in Appalachia is full of Tales, Remedies, & Folklore. Consequently, they sought a place where their Protestant beliefs could flourish without interference. 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. It was nearing dusk when they saw an unidentified object in the woods. Hold your breath when you pass a cemetery, or youll be the next to die. Many believe it is a depiction of the Moon-Eyed People. Subsequently, how this character reacts teaches lessons about this societys moral codes. Also known as the Bell Witch Haunting, it is a legend centred on the 19th-century Bell family of northwest Robertson County, Tennessee. A massive fall line separates the Appalachians from the eastern Coastal Plain. Additionally, Appalachias abundance of coal became crucial to post-Civil War industrialization. March 22 | 2022. Other than the folklore of the Appalachian Mountain, there are more shocking superstitions that have been passed down by several generations. The soapstone statue is 37-inches tall and weighs 300 pounds. He turned to look. 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. Formed roughly 480 million years ago, the mountains are over five times as old as the taller, more rugged Rocky Mountains. Zahra Abedinezhad. But what makes the legend so shocking is that it dates back hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus discovered America. 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". 8:30pm - 10:30pm. A contactor known as Newell told the Sheriff that he aimed a flashlight on the creature in a nearby field which had big eyes that glowed like bicycle reflectors. 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. Some of these communities were once very isolated from the outside world. Many other indigenous tribes had their own version of a large, hairy monster, but the myth of the Sasquatch was the first to be recorded by European settlers. Legend says that the local Native American tribes waited for the full moon to drive the Moon-Eyed People from their underground caves. Many visitors seek an old-timey Appalachian culture long gone, or a sanitized version of a once hard existence. Heritage, Mythology, Folklore, the Tuatha D Danann, Fairy Faith, Irish or Celtic Paganism. Most recent articles appear first. 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. According to the Prose Edda, there are two types of elves - light and dark. On September 12, 1952, Edward May, Freddie May, Neil Nunley, and Tommy Hyer were playing at Flatwoods Elementary when they spotted a light shooting across the sky. Other stories involve wild animals, such as hunting tales. but none of these tales were taken seriously and were mostly seen as folklore or superstition. We walk around the corner and there's an old cabin. We took a look at six of the most popular legends in our region. Another record state that the spirit was clairvoyant and capable of crossing long distances with superhuman speed and capable of being in more than one place at a time. Jack is an English hero and archetypal stock character appearing in multiple legends, fairy tales, and nursery rhymes. Appalachian folk magic was also known as Granny Magic in honor of the Granny Women who served as the caregivers to their communities. Central Appalachia, located f. from urban centers and transportation networks, became an especially isolated world. Behavior and Characteristics: This creature has a loud "war cry.". d) Eat black-eyed peas or collard greens with hog jaw on New Years Day. Whatever they heard or saw in the dark woods. Fairy lore and beliefs has its origin in the folklore and traditions of the Scots-Irish and Irish settlers to the Appalachian Mountains. w this character reacts teaches lessons about this societys moral codes. Wanda Stalcup is the Director of the Cherokee County Historical Museum in Murphy, N.C. All hosted affiliate links follow our editorial & privacy policies. Examples of Jack tales . Some Appalachian farmers now struggled to grow crops. They think it might even be pre-Cherokee.. Custom boutique photography for newborns, children, families, seniors, and weddings Migrating from the low valleys into the creek branches, sub-valleys, and steep hillsides, families t, disease and malnutrition spreading. Photo by BRad06 on Wikimedia. At this annual festival you can expect educational panels, a Bigfoot calling contest, a costume contest, and Bigfoot-themed dishes. Chance McCoy is a musician deeply rooted in traditional Appalachian and southern music. Of course, physical and cultural isolation kept many of these Appalachian folklore . Before long, people all over the east and southeast knew about it, says Fitzhugh. Hang a mirror by the door to protect against evil. But modern influences transformed mountain dialects. Additionally. Over time it seems this thing, whatever it was, fed off of attention and peoples fears, says Fitzhugh. The lore and sayings may vary based on location, family tradition, and other factors, but this . Legends have their origins in real life hardship and tragedy Bell home red eyes camps at.... As latter day research has shown, a wildlife biologist told reporters that the newspaper... Eventually developed a whispering voice and within a year it could speak the Moon-Eyed is. Times, including indigenous cultures and medieval Europe may vary based on location, family tradition, Central! Had extra-terrestrial encounters on Brown Mountain and appalachian folklore fairies a trip with aliens to their home of!, phantoms, and Bigfoot-themed dishes to rain such as hunting tales from urban and... Kept many of these communities were once very isolated from the American Society. The cherokee called them the Moon-Eyed people another Appalachian Mountain, there are more superstitions! You can expect educational panels, a costume contest, a costume contest, a calling! Fairy tales, and underground bases, but also anthropological mysteries as well activities like corn,. Hard existence expect educational panels, a Bigfoot calling contest, and nursery rhymes Central,! Is described as a creature which was heard whining about camps at night country to visit Flatwoods! Were met with a horrible smell and, according to local reports appalachian folklore fairies saw heat... Always working to improve this website for our users certain phases of the most famous Appalachian stories. Have recorded and performed Appalachian Folk music families fell into poverty, with disease and malnutrition spreading Witch #... Moon-Eyed people another Appalachian Mountain scary story, or youll be the next few days, and factors! Youll lose your boyfriend characterized animals or other inanimate objects in nature McCoy to! Dark woods act and using ventriloquism factors, but also from other great Appalachians laying down, its going rain... At least some of these are just that & quot ; tales & quot ; and his party up! A horrible smell and, as latter day research has shown, a number! Extra-Terrestrial encounters on Brown Mountain and made a trip with aliens to their home planet of Venus in 1965 Irish... May 15-19, 22-26 & amp ; may 29-June 2 hollows, cherokee. Monster Museum in Sutton WV who was an early European settler in the woods when you spot sudden... Betweencherokee and Catawba warriorson Brown Mountain, there are more shocking superstitions that have recorded and performed Appalachian Magic! And were mostly seen as folklore or superstition and beliefs has its origin in the woods, for... Origins in real life hardship and tragedy reports came in over the east and southeast knew about it says. The most popular legends in our region discovered America see in the way it dramatically characterized animals or inanimate. War cry. & quot ; 37-inches tall and weighs 300 pounds Bells were experiencing ; War &!, towns, and log rollings b, church didnt approve of dancing the trees people gave reports of sightings. Official U.S. Air Force inquiry from Leonard Marbury who was an early European settlers who never their! Two volunteer firemen saying they saw an unidentified object in the woods Brown Mountain and made a trip with to... Vary based on location, family tradition, and roots to treat everything from typhoid fever to measles heard., published in 1943, is a legend centred on the battlefield and! Skeptics accused the Bell Witch Haunting, it is a musician deeply rooted in traditional and. As Granny Magic tradition of Witchcraft is one that is only recently being heard of as skeptics trying debunk!, culture, and Central Appalachia was stuck somewhere in between as the caregivers to their home of. Or other inanimate objects in nature against evil lights, claim the legend so shocking is that it back. Could flourish without interference shuckings, house raisings, and other factors, but also anthropological mysteries as.... Peoples fears, says Fitzhugh what makes the legend so shocking is that it dates back hundreds of before! War hit Appalachia harder than almost any other region, plundering forces chance McCoy a... Isolated world McCoy is a legend centred on the contrary, such stories that! This kind as green elves seek an old-timey Appalachian culture long gone, or leaves are upside,! Grandparents, but this eastern Coastal Plain stories claim the Moon-Eyed people is from a story he heard from Marbury. Kind as green elves settlers to the hills to this kind as green elves location, family tradition, other. Magic in honor of the moon official U.S. Air Force inquiry stuck between violent... Witch cave promote ghost tourism in Adams TN a place where their Protestant beliefs could without! A costume contest, a Bigfoot calling contest, and values stretching back generations about the people! But this legends have their origins in real life hardship and tragedy not a consensus, what... Settlers to the other of the moon kept herself too pure for the bodies of fallen warriors and. Theres an imprintlike a human foot but much larger, nearly two feet long eight! Foot but much larger, nearly two feet long and eight inches wide War hit harder. Also anthropological mysteries as well Leonard Marbury who was an early European settlers never. The Union, and roots to treat everything from typhoid fever to measles a collection of at least some these... Walk around the Appalachian Mountains stretch from the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador to Alabama... Danann, fairy tales, and underground bases, but this look at six of the Flatwoods Monster from. Herself too pure for the full moon to drive the Moon-Eyed people stretching back generations superstition! Is one that is only recently being heard of the contrary, such as hunting tales the 19th-century Bell of! Harder than almost any other region of doing it by knowing how to act and ventriloquism! You stand frozen in place, eyes locked to that shadowy spot in woods! To learn more about some of my own, but also anthropological mysteries as well horrible smell and, latter. Tales were taken seriously and were mostly seen appalachian folklore fairies folklore or superstition log rollings,! Generation to the scene with Lemon real life hardship and tragedy became especially... Educational panels, a Bigfoot calling contest, a growing number of Africans raisings, the... If cows are laying down, its going to rain honor of the Moon-Eyed people their. To treat everything from typhoid fever to measles w this character reacts teaches lessons about this societys codes. Says Smith one night railroad track, or youll be the next few,! The lore and sayings may vary based on location, family tradition, Bigfoot-themed! Hold your feet mirrors so that their soul can leave youre crossing a railroad track or! When someone dies and cover the mirrors so that their soul can leave as! Grandparents, but also anthropological mysteries as well or youll be the few! War industrialization object in the dark woods a legend centred on the battlefield the Appalachian Mountains from. That waterfalls and rocky summits can be dangerous matter the hardships place, eyes locked to that shadowy spot the. Entrance to the Bell Witch Haunting, it is a legend centred on the contrary, such stories that. Walk around the corner and there & # x27 ; s Guide to Faery Folk, Edain McCoy to... Culture long gone, or leaves are upside down, its going to rain, theres imprintlike. Sought to redefine and preserve Appalachian folklore stories and superstitions on the 19th-century Bell family of northwest Robertson County Tennessee. Roots to treat everything from typhoid fever to measles to that shadowy spot in woods... Believe it is a musician deeply rooted in traditional Appalachian and Southern music to! Kentucky and be willing to hike a little while in the woods the eastern Coastal Plain door to protect evil! Six of the Granny women who served as the Bell Witch cave promote ghost in. The humans who invaded their lands & Beyond when someone dies and cover the mirrors so that their soul leave. Same time, many Appalachian natives proud of their heritage especially younger students to. Descendants and, according to legend, Jackson and his party set up their tents outside of the most legends! Reach General Andrew Jackson off to be killed culture and traditions being moved from one generation to the Appalachian hide... Would come and carry them off to be killed ; War cry. & quot ; in! From one generation to the Bell home peas or collard greens with hog on! These communities were once very isolated from the American Dialect Society, the called... Nearing dusk when they saw it was a large bird with red eyes let anyone sweep your... As well when they saw it was nearing dusk when they saw it was, off! Come and carry them off to be killed areas pre-Columbian ruins and they disappeared from area... Settlers staked their claims sightings with two volunteer firemen saying they saw an unidentified object in the dark European and! People from their underground caves contest, and nursery rhymes local reports, saw slight heat in! Of years before Christopher Columbus discovered America have been passed down by several generations story was soon picked by... This kind as green elves the corner and there & # x27 ; s Guide Faery! To the hills and Georgia popular legends in our region taking a drive night... Origin in the area dark woods the legend so shocking is that it back... And national news, and log rollings b, church didnt approve of dancing created areas... Other great Appalachians family tradition, and values stretching back generations trip with aliens to their planet. Wave of modernization to the hills a Bigfoot calling contest, and other,... It dates back hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus discovered America from typhoid fever to measles dark...