Posted on 02/12/2005 9:52:39 AM PST by Engraved-on-His-hands
For more than 200 hundred years the mysterious origins of the Melungeons has mystified many who were searching for facts. Recent research compiled by the Melungeon Research Committee (MRS) reveals the most probable theory thus far.
(Excerpt) Read more at zwire.com ...
I read that a group travelled to the eastern part of Viriginia in the early 1600's and discovered a village settled by whites. The homes had windows and oval shaped doors. Several times a day the people met in the center of town for prayer. When asked who they were they said they were "Portagee". This place is called Wise county today and from what I understand there are Melungeons still living there.
yes there are, and in the tri-cities area too. some of the people are strikingly attractive, with dark skin, dark hair and blue eyes
Very interesting
The "brown people" of Appalachia have been in song and story for almost four centuries now, and the unique culture that grew out of these folk (actually consisting of quite a few different strains) constitutes the "bluegrass" heritage.
And yet, they seem to be getting rediscovered all the time. When the Tennessee Valley Authority was plotting out land in the 1930's to build power dams in Tennessee and Kentucky, they kept discovering pockets of these people who still spoke an Elizabethan English and were almost totally illiterate.
This is really fascinating. I love this explanation of Melungeon origins. But in an age of DNA, I don't see why the origins of a group like this should even be a question. Surely it is possible to identify them without much technical difficulty and determine their genetic background?
Excluding present company, Melungeons are surely the most interesting community on the internet. And the sweetest :-)
I was in the Greenville/Spartanburg area of SC and would have sworn the waitresses were Brits -- but they weren't......
Interesting story. Thanks for the post.
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I don't know what a "Melungeons" is.
I'd prefer to keep it a mystery.
Sounds like some Pacific Islander's body parts.
;-)
You are correct that Melungeons still live in Wise County in Southwest Virginia. I personally know several and, in contrast to the typical Appalachian descendants of 18th century Scots-Irish and German settlers, they are dark, graceful, and very Mediterranean looking. Their compelling story as a distinctive people is an interesting foray into ethnohistory and is worthy of further study. Thanks for posting this article...
Fascinating
The best source of information are the works of N. Brent Kennedy, formerly of Wise Virginia where he was at the Clinch Valley Community College. He is now down south 60 miles in Kingsport, Tennessee.
He learned of his Melungeon heritage in an Atlanta GA hospital where he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder generally restricted to eastern Mediterranian people. The near brush with death set him to wondering...."who the hell am I?"
His works are fascinating to those of us who live here and have contact with the various Melungeon families in the area. They too are fascinated and are "Coming Out" There is now an annual gathering in Kingsport drawing hundreds who are interested in their heritage and genetic problems.
Although there are pockets of Melungeon folks in all the mountains of North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee, the primary redoubts were in the counties on the Clinch River in Tennessee.....Hancock and Claiborne. Across the river is Southwest Virginia and there are Melungeon families all up through there as well. The racially indeterminate people were severely persecuted and fled to the mountains and hollows where no one would bother them.
The gathering focuses attention on the heritage and the main certainty now is that the issue is quite complex. Melungeons are a mix of White, Negro and Indian blood. The white componant is genetically similar to some Portugeese people thought to be descended from North African Moorish people who settled there from Turkey.
There are academics in the past who have written extensively and now appear to be off base and naturlly want to defend themselves even if wrong. The current effort is quite extensive, both private and I think academic, and will result in a clearer and more accurate picture than is now available.
The family histories are being studied and once taboo secrets are being discussed in the light of day. One certainty is that these people have been here from the very beginning ie 1580's or so and are among the very earliest Americans. Some place them at Santa Elena (Beaufort SC) as early as 1566. The Lost Colony of Dare County NC is also widely thought to have produced Melungeon famalies.
Yep, I am up here in "God's Country," east Tennessee. I worked once with a mulungeon. They are very attractive.
Thanks for posting this article.
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