Decoration Day Appalachia

While decoration practices are localized and can be unique to individual families cemeteries and communities common elements unify the various decoration day practices and are thought to represent syncretism of christian cultures in 19th century.

Decoration day appalachia. Decoration day the predecessor of today s memorial day remains a tradition in parts of the rural south for remembering deceased family and church members. Dinner on the ground dinner on the ground in the upland south from appalachia to the ozarks is an outdoor picnic held at decoration day events. Decoration day is an old tradition of cleaning and tending to graves in appalachia and it also serves as a homecoming and family reunion for many communities. The tradition of honoring deceased family members continued scheduled around the planting season.

Decoration practices are localized and unique to individual families cemeteries and communities but common elements that unify the various decoration day practices are thought to represent syncretism of predominantly christian cultures in 19th century southern appalachia with pre christian influences from scotland ireland and african cultures. However some rural communities especially appalachia might still be found celebrating decoration day now sometimes called cemetery day. The term originally referred to eating in a churchyard or horace kephart in 1934 the united states congress officially established what is today the most popular national park in the country the great smoky mountains national park. 2020 05 25 auto generated by youtube.

Decoration day has become a forgotten relic of a bygone era in america but i for one appreciate the reality that i was around for those history lessons picnics and games of tag in an appalachian cemetery. Decoration days in southern appalachia and liberia are a living tradition of group ancestor veneration observances which arose by the 19th century. Whether it is dinner on the grounds and family barbecues decorating a cemetery with flowers and flags or the singing of gospel tunes and playing taps on a trumpet. Learn more about this old tradition.

But similar customs like the day of the dead in mexico have one fundamental difference. Decoration day beyond appalachia people have decorated graves from time immemorial. They are on a fixed day whereas the southern decoration day falls on different sundays for different cemeteries enabling people to attend multiple decorations.