The Red Flannel Rag

Another reason I am telling my story at this time is that many people who have

written about Appalachia have recognized that the traditional culture was founded on an

unwavering respect for the earth. This has been referred to as a connection to “the

la nd.” It is my purpose to demonstrate that “connectedness” extended to all aspects of

the universe including plants and animals, the solar system, and the weather. The same

sense of “connectedness” was revealed in responsibilities to family and the commun ity

as a whole. Although specific beliefs and practices from traditional Appalachian culture

have been recorded and reported, the simple logic that held “connectedness” in place

has rarely been revealed in the context of reporting the beliefs and practices. Defining a

logical context for my community will be a daunting task, and perhaps difficult for those

born into mainstream America to grasp even if I successfully achieve this purpose.

A third reason for writing this book now is that I finally understand the discomfort I

have always felt when exposed to folk festivals and academic conferences on

Appalachian culture. Participants at these events report Appalachian beliefs and

practices in the fragmented, objective, and unfeeling way demanded by scientific

investigation. Some have claimed pieces of Appalachian culture as their own and act

them out for sale. The story of Appalachian culture is greater than the red flannel rag

and its uses that can so readily be demonstrated in a classroom, at a folk festival, or at

an academic conference.

Very few people who actually lived Appalachian culture have been able to claim it

because they have been silenced from early childhood by being shamed at school and

church and by invasion upon invasion of th e “do -gooders ,” the academics, and the

industrial robbers.

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