Date:    Fri, 19 Jun 1998 12:38:22 -0400
<br>From:    Anita Puckett <apuckett[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]VT.EDU>
<br>Subject: Long Story on Melungeons--Reply
<br>
<br>>Somehow, the attempt to derive the word "Melungeon" from Turkish or
<br>>Arabic sounds tremendously mythological.  There just isn't that much
<br>>evidence of Turkish OR Arabic speakers in the right neighborhood at the
<br>>right time.
<br>
<br>First of all, the Knoxville newspaper article did take Kennedy's book at
<br>too factual a basis.  Kennedy himself mentions that he's speculating in
<br>this book on many of these issues.  And he currently adds that much has
<br>changed since that book was written.
<br>
<br>Without questioning your point, Mike, let me add that the Melungeon
<br>movement people (for lack of a more precise label at this time) have gone
<br>to some historians, as I understand it, who are re-opening issues related
<br>to Santa Elena especially with respect to converso immigrants from Spain,
<br>perhaps Portugal who may represent larger populations of Islamic (or former
<br>Islamic) populations.  Special interest is being leveled at the outlying
<br>forts which are claimed to have been in the Piedmont or Mountainous areas
<br>of NC, SC and close to the TN/VA tri-cities area.  I have not had a chance
<br>to examine these claims seriously, but two intriquing points are that some
<br>"new" data comes from documents formerly in the Soviet Block that are now
<br>available for examination  and from re-examining primary documents on Santa
<br>Elena rather than English translations or previous scholars' analyses.
<br>Again, this may all be questionable, but Brent Kennedy's research group has
<br>reputable people on it who are suggesting some interesting possibilities
<br>once we get passed some of the hegemonic processes of racial classification
<br>that affected census data and other "official" labeling systems.  Of
<br>especial focus at the moment is Pletcher's efforts here in Virginia.  The
<br>following URL has been posted to this list a few times, but, at the risk of
<br>repetition,  <http://www.clinch.edu/appalachia/melungon> does contain some
<br>interesting archival data on the racial issues.  Also, some interesting
<br>material regarding the distribution of sarcoidosis cases in the US (higher
<br>percentages in western SC and NC) may lead to some further genetic
<br>investigation.  My basic point here is that there is more than a "mythical"
<br>reconstruction going on, although it may be deadend.
<br>
<br>>
<br>>Melungeons seem to me to fit the same niche as several other groups:
<br>>"Redbones", "Lumbee Indians", "Red Ankles", and others.  In each case,
<br>>the historical evidence strongly suggests that the group in question are
<br>>descended from a combination of Europeans, Native Americans, and
<br>>African-derived populations.  In a time of legal segregation, members of
<br>>these groups fought hard to establish a social identity that was NOT, in
<br>>the language of the day, Negro.  They had to swim upstream against the
<br>>rule of hypodescent: that "one drop of blood" rule.
<br>
<br>See Pletcher story.  Also, it's my understanding that the Monacans of
<br>Virginia are collecting data on what Pletcher did to them with respect to
<br>racial classification.  An interesting picture is emerging here in Virginia
<br>especially with respect to eugenics.
<br>
<br>  While you're checking things out, take a look at a Web
<br>>page about Melungeons:   http://www.boondock.com/juliawhite/unred.html
<br>
<br>This link no longer works--alternates given get me into some, I think, New
<br>Age sites.  Any suggestions?
<br>>
<br>
<br>>I don't recall what the current legal status of the Melungeons might
<br>>be.
<br>
<br>They don't have one.  Don't know that, in general, they want one.  In
<br>attending their first reunion last year and in talking with several from
<br>southwest Virginia including Brent Kennedy who has been leading the
<br>resurgence of this claim to ethnicity, a basic issue is simply to offer
<br>some type of historical and cultural legitimation to individuals'
<br>ancestors--to allow them to place themselves in regional history and to
<br>gain some level of identity and respect.  Common themes, as I have been led
<br>to believe, for rising ethnicities.  I am, however, very taken by the
<br>heart-felt intensity many "Melungeons" have toward this project.  However
<br>it plays out, it means a lot to them.
<br>>
<br>>And why do I know this sort of stuff?
<br>
<br>And why do I respond at such length?  I am a linguistic anthropologist
<br>whose paternal ancestry is white/Indian Appalachian and who did
<br>dissertation fieldwork on language and culture issues in SW Kentucky a few
<br>years ago.  I have a position in Appalachian Studies at Virginia Tech which
<br>is located in an Appalachian area where "Melungeon" is a meaningful word.
<br>Brent Kennedy spoke here last year--about 170 people attended, most from
<br>the county.  I found myself involved in an issue of some importance both
<br>here and in the southwest VA/east TN region.  I also found myself
<br>volunteering for whatever assistance I can give on the linguistic issues,
<br>although other commitments have kept me from committing much time or effort
<br>yet. Historical linguistics and Native American languages of the Southeast
<br>are not among areas I've studied much at all, so any scholarly interest in
<br>assessing these current debates would be most welcome.
<br>
<br>
<br>Anita Puckett, Ph.D.
<br>Appalchian Studies Program
<br>Center for Interdisciplinary Studies
<br>343 Lane Hall
<br>Virginia Tech
<br>Blacksburg, VA   24061-0227
<br>Office:  540/231-9526
<br>Fax:     540/231-7013
<br>apuckett[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]vt.edu
<br>