[rudyudy]

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.

[debboo]

Very interesting

[alloysteel]

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.

[Capriole]

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?

[Melungeoness]

Excluding present company, Melungeons are surely the most interesting community on the internet. And the sweetest :-)

[ColoCdn]

Interesting story. Thanks for the post.

[solitas]

FYI

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks solitas.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[varina davis]

A very interesting topic. Just google melungeon and you'll find tons of data, all fascinating.

[Little Bill]

Sounds like an Italian dialect for eggplant, Muli is a Rhode Island term for Blacks.

[Just mythoughts]

Great post.

[fnord]

Recent research compiled by the Melungeon Research Committee (MRS)

Not an auspicious beginning, acronymically speaking ...

[R. Scott]

The MRC believes these settlers came to the coast of South Carolina in 1567 under the leadership of a Spanish captain, Juan Pardo. The settlers consisted of approximately 250 soldiers, their wives and children.

That would explain how the early The French found them in 1690 in the western Carolina mountains.

(Kennedy's theory challenged the most commonly accepted theory of Melungeon origin: that they were Appalachian "tri-racial isolates," a mixture of "poor" whites, African slaves and "renegade" Native Americans -- the definition, in fact, attached to Melungeon in Webster's Third New International Dictionary as recently as 15 years ago.)

It was true of the Seminole, it would be easy to make the assumption with the Melungeon.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[Red Sea Swimmer]

Very interesting post.

Imagine one day a huge genealogical library existing which would show the connections between the 6 Billion people alive, and the 80 Billion or so people that have ever lived. It would be truly fascinating to look at all the links in the chain of human history.

Adam and Eve did quite well with the number of their progeny I think...

[solitas]

Some of the more disturbing details chronicle the racism Melungeons have been forced to endure through the years, including the horror of a census that would not recognize their heritage.

I guess "horror" is in the eye of the beholder (or in the opinion of the author)...

[don-o]

Bump for later.

There is a link on WETS-FM that I want to post, but can't open the page, and have to go to work.