#Appalachian folklore

[bebs-art-gallery]

The Darkness by Bill Mayer

#painting #art #artblr #artist #dark art #macabre #occult #goth #gothic #witch #witchcore #witchcraft #witchblr #horror #artists #appalachian horror #appalachian witch #oil painting #oil on canvas #appalachian folklore #dark academia #gothcore #witch community #appalachian gothic #art community #art blog

[samwisethewitch]

Please read Mountain Magic by Rebecca Beyer

I was on a break from social media when I read this one, so this isn't a full review, but I highly, highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Appalachian folk magic. This is especially relevant to Southern Appalachian lore since Beyer lives in North Carolina.

I loved Beyer's first book, Wild Witchcraft, and with this one, I think she's officially become one of my favorite authors. This is a very thorough collection of folklore and practice for how short it is, and it's organized in a way that is easier for my ADHD brain to follow than some other authors.

I also have to gush about the illustrations. Both of Beyer's books are beautifully illustrated, but I think the art in this one is especially incredible. It's worth having a physical copy for the info alone, but the gorgeous art really makes this a book I want to display in my home.

Finally, I've found Beyer really helpful as an example of combining a pagan religious worldview with a Christian folk magic tradition. Her first book is very much pagan, with info on the God and Goddess and the Wheel of the Year. In this book, she talks about how Christianity has always been at the core of Appalachian folk magic and doesn't try to "paganize" the practice, while also leaving room for readers to bring their own beliefs to the table and explore what feels comfortable for them. This book did not feel preachy in the way some books on American folk magic do.

But yeah, this is just a really fantastic book, and I absolutely think every folk witch needs a copy of it on their shelf!

#mountain magic #rebecca beyer #books #favorite books #appalachian folk magic #appalachian folklore #southern appalachia #folk magic #folk witchcraft #traditional witchcraft #mine #book rec #book recommendations #witchblr #witch #witchcraft

[intheholler]

okay. i'm up to episode five now, so, by increasingly popular demand lol:

my initial thoughts about old gods of appalachia

i think it's really smart in what it relays as "appalachian horror," because this is actually what The Appalachian Gothic is supposed to give

what i mean is it's not just like the usual spoopy mythical forest/"don't investigate the noises in the woods" stuff alone. dgmw, obviously i love the urban legends

but the gothic of an area or time period needs cultural elements tied in to really make it chilling, and this does it well. it stands out in the way that it incorporates the genuine horrors of humanity in appalachia with the supernatural element everyone is drawn to about these mountains. it's very creatively done

like in the barlo, kentucky saga i am currently listening to, it's the dangerous coal mines and the near-possessed preacher turning all hellfire n brimstone at the behest of the haints. it preys (i use this word positively here) on this mix of very specific but common fears, both existential and otherwise, held by residents of the appalachian south. love it

as an aside, i love the narrator's accent because it sounds like mine :') a lifetime of code switching means mine isn't quite as strong unfortunately, but our pronunciation habits and colloquialisms are next to identical, so there manages to be this like warm and nostalgic feeling to it, too

because it's honestly so nice to hear my accent and my family's accent as a critical part of a superb story being told, and not just as a vehicle for mockery and stereotypes :')))

all in all... it is Good Shit

#old gods of appalachia #appalachia #appalachian gothic #appalachian dialect #appalachian folklore #txt

[kimberly40]

Appalachian Snow Folklore ❄️

•Birds active and flying low, beware of a coming snow.

•Chimney smoke hugging the ground; there snow will soon be found.

•When the ground and grass is dry at morning light, expect snow before the night.

•When heavy frost is on the grass, snow seldom comes to pass.

•When the moon carries a halo, it’s a sign of coming snow.

•When there’s lots of snow, a fruitful crop will often grow.

•Rabbits moving on a winter day, a heavy snow is on the way.

•If snow lays on the ground for 3 days it’s waiting for another snow.

•When dimmer stars disappear, rain or snow is quite near.

•When clouds move against the wind, Rain or snow is around the bend.

•When hornets build their nest’s extra high; Look for snow nearing your thigh.

•If snow on the ground won’t melt, it’s waiting for more snow, or it’s calling it in.

•If snow sticks to the sides of trees, another snow will come in 48 hours.

•If the sun shines while it’s raining or snowing, it’ll come again the same time tomorrow.

•If there is no snow in January, snow will come in March or April.

(From the Foxfire Book. Banner Elk, North in Avery County)

#appalachian #appalachian mountains #north carolina #appalachian culture #appalachia #western north carolina #the south #nc mountains #snow #appalachian folklore #folklore #snowflake

[crypticfayble]

lil Appalachian Gothic comic I did a while back

#appalachia #appalachain gothic #appalachain mountains #appalachian folklore #folklore #gothic #artists on tumblr #art #digital art #my art #original character #oc #illustration #weirdcore #fantasy art #folklore art #faecore

[thelostlisbonsister]

#appalachian #appalachia #appalachian gothic #appalachian culture #appalachian mountains #appalachian folk magic #rural appalachia #photography #old photos #country #folk magic #americana #americana aesthetic #appalachian folklore #appalachian trail #aesthetic #pinterest #girlblogger #girlblogging #vintage americana #vintage #bluegrass #bluegrass origins #abandoned #thelostlisbonsister

[fortunaestalta]

#artists on tumblr #ai artwork #alternative #dark fantasy #horror art #“Truly Feral Boys” #way back up in the woods #appalachian folklore

[forestgreenivy]

Nothing quite as restless as stick season as I’ve come to learn the hard way. I don’t think I could’ve made it through another winter like this. I’m back to being a visitor again - for the better.

#ima be so real with y’all this is sickening to endure this weekend #most of my time living in Greenville was during winter and early spring #it was gloomy the whole time I was there #mountains #Appalachia #appalachian mountains #appalachian folklore #appalachian trail #appalachian #appalachian gothic #southern gothic #gothic #mountain #hiking #travel #winter #winter aesthetic #campcore #camping #nature #virginia #foggyweather #outdoors #naturecore #dm me #adventure #me #message me #dms #photography

[humonculuss]

Finished painting of my sphinx sona, Laurel.

This time with wavy red Oni hair as an alternate look~

She is in the Legendary category of Haint*. *(org. Gullah: spirit/ghost/demon)

She's a Wampus Cat, Sphinx type.

A six-legged version of the black panther cryptid of Appalachia.

[briefbestiary]

An obsessive creature, this mysterious animal stopped at nothing in order to exact its revenge for the loss, and consumption, of its tail.

#BriefBestiary #bestiary #digital art #fantasy #folklore #legend #appalachian folklore #appalachian legend #demon #tailypo #tailbones #tallypo #tailipoesies #monster

[thecoffeelorian]

I read up on skogsrå in the morning, listened to ghost stories about dead coal miners and mama bears in the afternoon, and watched Deer Lady avenge her friend in the evening.

It's a lore sort of weekend.

#year walk #old gods of appalachia #reservation dogs #skogsrå #barlo kentucky #deer lady #swedish folklore #appalachian gothic #appalachian folklore #indigenous folklore

[bebs-art-gallery]

Laments in Veiled Sanctuaries

— by xis.lanyx

#painting #art #artblr #oil on canvas #oil painting #fairycore #fairytale #fairytales #fantasy #forest #grandmacore #forestcore #goblincore #appalachian witch #witch #witchblr #appalachian folklore #appalachian gothic #wendigo #artist #artists #art community #art blog #art gallery

[samwisethewitch]

REVIEW: Backwoods Witchcraft by Jake Richards

I feel like Jake Richards's books are pretty popular with folk witches. If you have any interest in Appalachian folk magic, or even American folk magic more generally, you've probably at least heard of this book. Part of why I put off reviewing it for so long is because I feel like there's already been plenty of attention given to it online, so I'll try to make this brief.

Pros:

Definitely authentic Appalachian folk magic. Jake Richards writes about a lot of things I've seen people do or heard people talk about but never seen written anywhere.

This book is really well researched! I'm very impressed by all the references and footnotes.

I love that Richards uses the correct Tsalagi (Cherokee), Gaelige (Irish), and Gaelic (Scottish) words when talking about the cultures that influence Southern folk magic. I also love that he includes pronunciation guides.

Cons:

I didn't finish this book on my first read. It wasn't until I revisited it recently that I actually read to the end. Something about the writing style and the way the book is organized made it a little hard to follow at times, at least for me.

The research is generally good, but there's definitely more detail given for European and Cherokee cultural influences than for African. When talking about European influences, Richards will usually specify the specific country or culture something comes from, but for African influences he just says "African." While this research is harder to do because the slave trade intentionally cut people off from their cultural traditions, other authors like Luisah Teish and Stephanie Rose Bird have shown that we can often trace these African influences back to a specific culture, or at least a region. I would have liked to see the same level of effort put into researching African practices that went into the European ones.

Other Observations:

Christianity is a big part of the author's practice. This is faithful to traditional Appalachian conjure, but just know that it may be triggering if you've experienced religious trauma in a Christian setting. I found this book harder to read than other books on conjure that incorporate Christian elements, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because it sounded too similar to the Appalachian church where my abuse happened? Just something to be aware of if this is a tricky topic for you.

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

#this will definitely be a 5 star book for other people #i am just picky #will definitely be picking up a physical copy tho #book review #book rec #jake richards #backwoods conjure #appalachian folk magic #appalachian folklore #southern folk magic #american folk magic #folk magic #folk witchcraft #witchy books #appalachia #my writing #mine #witchblr #witch #witchcraft

[appalchiangoth]

BLOG INTRO

appalachian + southern goth

folk + appalachian witch

he / they + gay

love religious imagery

like or rb to be mutuals

#appalachian folk magic #appalachian folklore #appalachian gothic #appalachian witch #folk witchcraft #witchcraft #folklore #magick #witchblr #witch #occultism #folk magic

[kimberly40]

👨🏻‍🌾 Appalachian Garden Folklore:

In the mountains of Appalachia, it is said to be bad luck to say thank you if you ever receive cuttings or plants as a gift. The plant will not thrive. This is just one of many old folklore tells handed down from generation to generation. A lot of these folklores pertain to gardening. This was a way of life for many Appalachians and was taken very seriously. Their lives depended on their gardens producing well.

•Dreaming of thorns is bad luck.

•Tomatoes should be planted on Memorial Day.

•It’s good luck to steal herbs.

•A snowy winter portends a good year for crops.

•After planting a hill of beans, press the soil with your foot for good luck.

•Planting peppers when you’re mad, makes the peppers grow hotter.

•If 2 people’s hoes hit together, they will work in the same field next year.

•Trees that bloom twice in one year will have a bad crop.

•If you spit in your hands when cutting wood-you’ll have good luck.

•Don’t plant your garden until the oak leaves are the size of mouse ears.

•Always plant your potatoes on Good Friday.

•Plant your greenbeans on Good Friday.

•Anything planted on the first day of Spring will live.

•Bury nails around the roots of Hydrangea to make the blooms blue.

•To keep crows from bothering your garden, kill one and hang it nearby.

(Read more at https://growappalachia.berea.edu/2011/12/06/appalachian-garden-folklore-chad-brock-red-bird-mission/

By Chad Brock)

#appalachian #appalachian mountains #north carolina #appalachian culture #appalachia #western north carolina #the south #nc mountains #mcdowell county #mcdowellcounty #appalachian folklore #folklore #garden #gardening #appalachian food

[intheholler]

i'm sorry if this is a weird question but do you happen to know of any vampires, or vampire-like creatures in Appalachian folktales?

this isn't weird! for the future tho, the weirder the questions in my ask box i get, the better tbh

to your question, i haven't ever heard anything but i did a lil search and found something about the big stone gap vampire in appalachian virginia. hope this helps!

#appalachian folklore #appalachian culture #appalachian food #virginia #asks