H. Byron Ballard, Roots, Branches, and Spirits: the Folkways and Witchery of Appalachia. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn, 2021. ISBN: 9780738764535.
This book looks at Appalachian folk magic and witchery from a more southern perspective. The author is from North Carolina. As she writes:
"My scope is the southern highlands, which is the section that includes western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, southwest Virginia, northern Georgia and Alabama, and parts of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia" (2).
The book is arranged into two parts with nine chapters. Part One includes chapters 1-3, which cover most of the cultural journey element. Part One provides an overview of the region, its culture, and people. Much of this material would be for outsiders needing and wanting to learn about the region. Part Two covers the magical guide part of the book; it includes chapters 4-9. The book also features a conclusion, a list of recommended sources, which include organizations and websites, and a small bibliography. There is some overlap between the two lists.
I found the first part of the book pretty interesting as a regional overview. However, if you have read similar books, some of this is familiar territory. Part Two looks at topics such as tools and supplies, kitchen witchery, healing, and haint tales. The second part is one you can browse if you wish and find the topics that interest you. Some topics are more interesting than others. Unlike similar books, the magic section can be light on details, a bit superficial even. I did enjoy the last chapter of tales. To be honest, one or two of those stories could be material for some supernatural anthology series.
Overall, I liked the book, but it is one more to borrow. It can be a good acquisition for libraries, especially for libraries that collect Appalachian materials.
3 out of 5 stars.
Additional reading notes:
Definition of cultural strip-mining, term coined by Marilyn McMinn-McCredie, storyteller:
"Cultural strip-mining is the act of extracting folkways from a culture while returning little or nothing to it. People from outside the culture suck up what they find appealing or can monetize and let the rest fall away or die beneath the wheels of progress. The culture gains little from the exchange and gives up precious materials that leave it weakened in some ineffable way" (13).
On oral traditions:
"Oral traditions depend on several things. They must be shared. They must be heard. And they must be remembered. All of which run in a cycle throughout generations. When the line is broken-- for whatever reason-- that piece of the puzzle, that strand in the weaving, is lost for all time" (21).
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