BG: Re: A Nice "Celt-ural" lesson

[E Bryant Holman]

Dearest Reneé,   I read a wonderful book on the Scotch-Irish, and I have always been fascinated with history anyway. When I take and interest in some subject, I just dive into it with both feet and try to just immerse myself in it.   There is no doubt but that clogging came from the Celtic peoples of the British Isles.   Certainly, the lowlands Scots were the core of the people who went to the frontier and remained there, and while many of them remained in the Appalachians - or later, the Ozarks - others forged on to Texas and Oklahoma, because, again, they were the people who could survive where others could not. But there is another group which served as a vanguard which could go even father into hostile Indian territory and thrive, and these were the Ulster Irish, who had resisted the British encroachment in their homeland up until it was no longer possible, and had then fled to avoid the hangman's noose. These people had actually fought the "Scotch Irish" there in Ulster, raiding their settlements and evading soldiers and militias. Billy the Kid was one of these. These people had perfected the tactics of fighting off of horseback with pistols, and they could take the fight to the Comanches so successfully that they were left alone by them and roamed the range freely, establishing a bridgehead for those settlers who followed them. I don't know if any of the people actually settled in the Appalachians, but that is doubtful because there was likely to have been a lot of hostility between the two groups. Billy the Kid and the others in the Lincoln County War likely conducted most of their conversations in Irish Gaelic, and otherwise they spoke Spanish with the people who formed the majority of the settlers there - Spanish speakers who had been relocated from Northern New Mexico after the surrender of the Apaches. When I was a little child, my mother, who was single and had to work to keep us from utter destitution, would leave me with a "Mexican" woman, Eva Gonzales, whom I loved as much as I did my own mother, and her grandfather had hid Billy the Kid from the law of many occasions, as he was quite integrated into the "Mexican" community in the region.   These people likely had a love for music that was much like the Celtic music of the Scots Irish (originally lowlands Scots), but theirs was distinctly Irish. How much Irish music, then, contributed to the mix which forms the roots of Appalachian Music and hence Bluegrass, is anyone's guess, but I would imagine that the contribution was not too great. Have you heard of families in the Appalachians who were actually Irish, and not Scotch Irish? Or, are you aware of any songs that mention places in Ireland or that clearly are Irish?   By the way, I am speculating that you are Dr. Ralph Stanley's daughter. Is my guess right? I keep thinking that you are the person who appears briefly in the documentary I saw about him on TV, who had the gorgeous mountain of black hair, and actually sang with him in an informal setting, if I recall correctly. If that is so, I remember telling myself how beautiful this woman was, and the whole segment - how moving it was.   Thanks so much for commenting on my post. You really are a delight, and it is such a privilege for me to have caught your attention like this.   By the way, I just wrote to Joan Baez via her website and I begged her to try and contact Dr. Ralph Stanley to see about recording that duet that I am dreaming about - the one that is going to put Dr. Ralph Stanley at number one of the charts worldwide and win him a Grammy award for best artist of the year!   Yours truly,   Bryant "Eduardo" Holman Presidio, Texas and Ojinaga, Chihuahua (originally from Roswell, NM) http://ojinaga.com http://faustosgallery.com   ----- Original Message ----- From: Renee' To: bluegrass@drralphstanley.com Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2005 2:11 AM Subject: BG: A Nice "Celt-ural" lesson   "a lot of the immigrants were actually indentured servants (white slaves, in other words),"   * First, I *really* enjoyed the cultural history lesson you kindly just gave me. Very knowledged & very interesting. My lineage came over and was (um) "mistreated" on the coastal regions. They RAN to the solitude and independance of the Appalachian Mtns. I've heard stories passed down that enduring Indians was nothing in comparison to enduring coastal magnates (snobs) who looked down upon these "mongrels".   " but the one resource that they had was their incredible knack for surviving against all odds under the harshest conditions,"   * Something that is still taught.  My little ones have been taught survivalism in which all they would need is a good sturdy knife to begin with.    My Grandpa's, my Dad and Uncles  taught me and I teach my youngens and the priceless heirloom of knowledge will go on, God willing.  There is a rule though   ... no laziness allowed and the lineage of our ancestors can *not* be left out.... that includes ghost stories and recipe's and a pot-pouri of things. I've taught them what to eat, what not to eat, etc. Medicinal herbs, how to keep your bearings in the deep forestery, animal tracks, etc.  The list goes on. And our music in not only entertainment, but it is a release.     "it may be that the Appalachians was like a place that was almost frozen in time, preserving the old songs and many of the mores of culture that were displaced by foreign influences," Bryant   * I agree again.  I've studies Appalachia thru my family and books for a couple of decades now, my library is filled with books of the Appalachia and it's people and.... we want things to remain as is. However.... microwaves are nice.  lol.   Thanks Bryant, you're a pleasure to listen to and you teach me things.  I like that.  How are you so well studied, may I ask?  You're knowledge is quite impressive.  I'm waiting on you to distinguish the difference between Celtic high-kicks and clogging though. Lol.   Me?  I enjoy Riverdance and Lord of the Dance *almost* as much as I do watching my family clog ... like they just kicked dust this past Thursday at the dinner at my house.  I'm  STILL going around leveling my pictures straight. :o)   Renee'