Insider’s Guide to Appalachian Culture

Submitted by Nellie Ellis, ’23 

Attending college outside of your hometown can seem like stepping into a whole new world; you can’t understand what anyone is saying, you scratch your head at what they are eating, and you swear that you were a much better driver back home. It’s okay, it’s just a little culture shock. Worried you’ll experience this at the Cumberlands? Don’t be. I’m from these mountains, and I’ll give you the insider’s guide to Appalachian culture.

*Disclaimer: some of what I am about to tell you may be true elsewhere in the USA, and some of it may be particular to this area of Kentucky only. Sometimes these words or phrases are passed down specifically within a family, too, not spread around the county. (Oh, by the way, Kentuckians speak in counties, not other regional talk so much.) And, we might have taken a little literary liberties throughout. Anyway. I’m just here to share what I know!

Mountain Talk

Gaum (pronounced “gom” or “gahm”): verb, “to make a mess of something.” Now, don’t gaum up this blog, y’hear? Or it can be a noun, “a clustered mess.” Did you see that traffic jam? Man, what a gaum!

Holler: “a small valley between mountains,” derived from the word “hollow.” The valley between two mountains is the hollow area between the mountains. Get it? Oh, and you’ll hear “holler” a lot as a verb too. If you need help, just holler!

A dab of [an item]: “a little of [item]”

Laid up: “sick”

Ain’t No Count: “it’s not worth anything.” 

Garb: “clothing item/outfit”

Poke: a noun, not a verb, meaning “a bag.” (If local churches ask if you want a poke at Christmas, say yes! They are filled with fruits, candy, and nuts.) 

Cyran (pronounced “kyarn”): I’ve seen this one defined as “something that smells bad.” I’ve only ever heard it used like this: “She’s meaner than cyran.” 

Stripedy (pronounced “stripe-idd-ee”): “something that has stripes.” 

You’uns, also spelled yuns: “you all”

Sometimes we add or take away letters from words. It’s not wrong, just creative! (Right?) Here are a few examples: 

Window becomes “winder.”

Potato becomes “tater.”

Across becomes “acrosst.”

Once becomes “oncet.”

Wash becomes “warsh.”

And if your name is Sarah or Hannah or something that ends with an “uh” sound, that “uh” ending might now become an “ee” ending. Howdy, Saree!

Oh, and many of us call our grandparents different terms than you may be used to. A grandmother is often called Granny, Mamaw, or Memaw, and a grandfather is often Papaw or just Pap.

You’ll likely notice more unusual words, phrases, and pronunciations while you’re here. But remember, we’re proud of how we talk, so don’t feel like you need to correct us, call us out, or make fun of us. I’ll say it again, for the people in the back: DON’T CORRECT OR MAKE FUN. What was “correct” in your hometown isn’t necessarily correct here, and what’s correct here is just as correct as your mannerisms wherever you come from. When you don’t understand something, just ask, and we will explain what it means. You’ll even walk away with a stronger vocabulary. Congrats!

Good Eatin’

Appalachian grannies will always ask you if you’ve eaten. Always say no, even if you have. Trust me, whether you have eaten or not, these grannies will not let you leave without giving you something to eat, so you might as well say you haven’t anyway. Besides, their home cooking is the best around. What’s on the menu? Shoot, honey, everything you’ll ever need and more! Here are just a few of the staples you’ll find in Appalachia:

Cornbread: Every granny has her special cast iron skillet that she’s had for decades or that has been passed down from generation to generation, and it’s what she’ll use to cook her cornbread. They keep this skillet seasoned, meaning they “treat” it with oil or grease. Most grannies can agree on one thing: If it didn’t come from seasoned cast iron, it ain’t no count. However, there are some heated debates (haha, heated debates) over whether cornbread should be sweet. I think it’s delicious either way, but you can decide for yourself.

Biscuits ‘n gravy: Buttermilk biscuits made from scratch smothered in gravy made from cream (or milk, but cream is richer) mixed with leftover grease from bacon, sausage or whatever savory meat was cooked in that skillet earlier on. Some people keep a jar of grease beside their stove for moments like this.

Soup beans: I’ve never met an Appalachian granny that didn’t love soup beans. (Some call this dish pinto bean soup.) It is simple and consists of pinto beans and ham or bacon made into a soup. Many also add onions and chow chow (a pickled mix of vegetables).

Poke salad: Technically a salad, but hot. Mountain grannies love poke salad because it allows them to be resourceful. Poke is a green that generally grows along fence lines. But watch out – it is poisonous raw. In fact, you have to cook it twice! My granny always cooked hers, then cooked them again in oil, and then mixed in some eggs.

Apple stack cake: Never ever turn down a piece of stack cake! These delectable desserts are made of thin but dense molasses cakes stacked high like pancakes, with apple butter slathered between each layer, then the whole outside of the cake is covered in more apple butter at the end. Then it sits in the fridge for at least 24 hours so all the juices can soak into the cake and then solidify, so the cake stays together. I like apple stack cake by itself, some people dip a slice into still more apple butter, and fancy folks enjoy it à la mode. *Chef’s kiss*

Random Odds and Ends

There’s a lot to go over and limited space to do it. So, here are some quick, last few things to keep in mind:

• Roads here can get really narrow and curvy, so sometimes it can be scary to meet a car on them. When this happens, just get over and slow down as much as possible until they get by. It’s also good practice to watch your speed on some of these backroads (especially if they’re wet from rain) because there are plenty of curves and hills that make it hard to anticipate if another car is coming.
• If you’re from up north, a little snow may not bother you. But here in Williamsburg, even a sprinkle of snow can send everyone and their mother to Walmart to buy all the milk and bread. You’ve been warned.
• Sometimes, especially among older Appalachians, people will call lunch “dinner” and dinner “supper.”
• There’s poverty and drug abuse everywhere, including here in Appalachia. It’s real, but it does not define who we are. Please have compassion and empathy when you see it, don’t give into the false stereotypes of our region.
• My fellow Southerners already know this one, but we take our sweat tea seriously. You may think you have sweet tea in the north, but you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Down here, we don’t like it unless it has the potential to give us diabetes.
• We do still like bluegrass and country music that isn’t found on the radio stations top charts. (Tyler Childers, Colter Wall, Sturgill Simpson, Ian Noe, and Charles Wesley Godwin are a few of my favorites.)
• Everywhere my peers and I go outside our area, we are always told how polite and kind we are. Most people here go out of their way to “love thy neighbor.” Need help changing a tire? Or a ride to church (one of the ten within one square mile)? Or just someone to hold the door open for you when your hands are full? We’re here to help.
• When you leave a store, especially if it’s a little Mom-and-Pop store or is run by older folks, they’ll usually tell you to “Come back and see us!” They might also talk your ear off if you let them, so save those trips for when you have a little extra time on your hands.

Alrighty, that is all I can think of right now. It’s not a comprehensive list, but I hope this will help you as you make Cumberlands your new home. You might be shocked by how much you fall in love with the culture of these mountains. They’re my home sweet home.