Be back soon, after being repeatedly stuffed full of proper Southern food. So here’s a little lesson in geocultural labelling in the meantime, about which I hope to return with more information. Seems in certain parts, namely some of those where I’m about to go, lowlanders are considered, according to who you ask, rednecks or hicks. Head into the hills, and you get your ridgerunners, gullyjumpers and a few goatropers. The weird thing is, my own flatlander Arkansan father claims the unber-moniker hillbilly, which apparently can apply to any and all of the above.
Some of this was spelled out beautifully by one of my childhood friends from my days in Mansfield, Louisiana in a fantastic piece of writing about his step-grandfather. His take is slightly different and a brief mention in a very nice piece of writing, which also made it to the Utne Reader. Enjoy!
