Appalachia

Appalachia— the cultural region that spans the central and southern section of the Appalachian Mountains—but what exactly does this entail? We set out to interview a few people in our dorm. “What are a few words that come to mind when you think of Appalachia?” The general consensus we received were words like, “uneducated, people of the mountains, rural, blue collar jobs, homeless people, and poverty..” None of the people we interviewed identified themselves as being Appalachian, coming from places like Columbus and Toledo. So what does Appalachian culture really mean? We decided to delve further, wanting a more complete picture. After additional research, we realized how shallow the responses we received really were.

The Appalachian culture is so much more than many make it out to be. We found a website that summed up everything we found fairly well “[the Appalachian culture is one of] neighborliness, hospitality, love of place and land, modesty, bravery, sense of humor, loyalty, resourcefulness, and patriotism.” So why do people place such a negative connotation with Appalachia? Poverty is becoming a problem. With the changing economy, many are unable to find jobs in a world where blue-collar jobs are facing extinction.

Is it important to know about the culture of where you reside? We came to the conclusion, yes. By ignoring your surroundings, or failing to learn more about them, you are depriving yourself of an excellent opportunity. You shouldn’t dismiss cultures different than your own as lesser, especially before knowing more about them.

By: Daniel Murtha and Kristen Dittmar