With this being Easter weekend, I was in church a lot. My faith plays a big role in my life and is part of my identity. Another big part of my identity is being a Southerner. In our studies of Southern identity we touched on the subject of religion as a part of the Southern identity. Even though religion is a big part of my life, it is not something that connects me with the South. I am Eastern Orthodox Christian, which is not your typical Southern religion. I went to a lamb roast after the Easter service and while I was there I couldn't help but see how similar an Orthodox identity was to a Southern identity at that specific time. I went with a friend and her whole extended family and their neighbors and friends were there. It was so similar to a Southern barbecue. Everyone was eating and drinking and having a great time. The men were all sitting around the lamb spit working the meat so that it would be just right while the women were inside setting up the buffet. We stuffed ourselves and then lounged around in the yard and drank some more. Pretty soon the papou (grandfather) brought out a bag of cigars and all the guys sat around talking while smoking cigars.

We all come from different backgrounds so this week I would like y'all to discuss how some aspect of your identity is similar or different from a Southern identity.

Merlefest

A big part of the South is it's music. It is very distinct and is full of emotion. We see in Bastard Out of Carolina that it also arouses our emotions. I love music and more specifically Southern music. 95% of my iTunes library is Southern music. So one type of Southern event that I love is the music festivals and jams. It just so happens that I will be going to one of the biggest Southern music festivals, Merlefest. For those who don't, Merlefest was started by Doc Watson (an amazing guitarist) in memory of his sone Merle Watson who died in a farming accident. It is held in Wilkesboro, NC and raises funds for the local college. There are going to be quite a few big name musicians there including Zac Brown Band, Dierks Bentley, The Avett Brothers, and Steve Martin.

Many times at music festivals there is great Southern food and at Southern cookouts usually there are a couple of people jamming. This is because the two things that Southerners in general enjoy the most are their food and their music. There are so many small bluegrass jams and cookouts in the Southern country with amazing music. I have included a clip of a great band, Trent Wagler & the Steel Wheels, at the Oak Grove Folk Music Festival in Virginia.

Southern Cookouts

Hey, it has only been a couple of days since Spring Break ended, but I know that we all had fun because we either did many activities or participated in many events. So for the next topic, we will talk about the different significant activities or events that the South participates in.

Whenever I think of a Southern event, I think of the basic outdoor cookouts. In these cookouts, the people get together, eats some barbecue, drink, listen to music, and basically have a good time. Usually, these types of events are held in summer afternoons so that everyone can enjoy the bright sunny weather. I think that barbecues are really important to the South because they unite the entire Southern community. They are not just social events, but events that remind the community of its culture. The food at these events pretty much contain some sort of grilled or barbecued meat, usually pork, because these foods remind the South of its history. Also it is a custom in these cookouts to listen to some type of country music since this is the music most closely related to Southern identity. So cookouts mean more to the South than just an ordinary event but an event that reminds the community of its identity.

In this music video, there is a perfect example of a Southern barbecue: