Taking place Tuesday, October 21 from 2 to 4 pm, this gallery talk by Saro Lynch-Thomason and Rebecca Beyer will examine the theme of All Hallows involving Appalachian balladry, material folk culture, and modern pagan practices of the holiday within the region. This lecture is part of a series of events presented in conjunction with the current exhibition, "The Place Speaks".
Themes of divination and relationships between the living and the dead will be explored. All Hallows, also known as Halloween and to Irish pre-Christians as Samhain, historically encompasses themes of ancestral veneration, divination, and protective magic in defense from Otherworld beings. It is also an avenue through which to explore folklore from the Old World still present in Appalachia today, particularly from the North Atlantic Islands (England, Ireland, Scotland). In this presentation, Saro and Rebecca will share and discuss Appalachian beliefs and practices related to divination and ancestral relationships through song and material culture and demonstrate how modern pagans practice the ancient holiday of Samhain in Appalachia.
Rebecca Beyer is an author and educator living in the mountains of Western North Carolina. She completed a Masters in Appalachia Studies and Sustainability, concentrating in Appalachian Ethnobotany, at Appalachian State University in 2018. Beyer practices, research, and writes about topics such as Appalachian Folk Magic, English Traditional Witchcraft, Primitive Skills, Gardening, Foraging, Appalachian Ethnobotany, and European and Appalachian Folk Ways. She actively works to incorporate Southern Black and Indigenous, namely Cherokee: Tsalagi Gawonihidsi (ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ), ethnobotany and historical uses of plants in her research.
Saro Lynch-Thomason is an award-winning singer, song leader, folklorist, documentarian, and illustrator from Asheville, North Carolina. She has studied and taught traditional song and balladry from Appalachia, the American South, the British Isles, and Ireland for over a decade. She uses teaching, documentary practices, and illustration to explore the amazing people and history behind songs. Saro holds an M.A. in Appalachian Studies from East Tennessee State University and a Certificate in Documentary Studies from Duke University.
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