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A STRANGE PEOPLE OF
TENNESSEE
The Malungeons and
Their Curious Customs
There is a Mystery as
to Their Origin
Claims of
Indian-Portuguese Descent Discussed
Their Chief Occupations
Are Farming, Milling, Hunting
and Digging Medicinal
Roots
September 20, 1897
Times Picayune (Louisiana)
The Manchester
correspondent of the New York Evening Post writes; A party of London
writers and artists are now in the Tennessee mountains studying the
peculiar race of people known as the Malungeons. The Malungeons
are probably the most mysterious race in America, and less is known of
them than of any other people. Whence they came to America or how
they obtained their peculiar name is unknown.
Those who assert that
the Malungeons are of mixed negro or Indians and white blood do so
utterly upon hearsay. There is no proof to show that the
Malungeon is of Indian, African or Portuguese descent, nor any reliable
history of his origin. The Malungeons are themselves ignorant of
their ancestry. Some of them claim to be of Portuguese blood, but
they can give no intelligent reason for this claim. They say that
their ancestors emigrated to America about 150 years ago from the
interior of Portugal and first settled in South Carolina, whence they
came to Hancock County, Tenn., settling in a beautiful mountain cove on
Blackwater creek. The records of Hancock county show that they
were first known there in 1780. In that year they were granted
public lands on Blackwater creek. They refused to hold any
intercourse with the settlers, except in trade skins and furs for arms
and ammunition. It was many years after the revolutionary war
before they could speak broken English.
The Malungeons at first
sight seem to be a cross between white and Indians. They are of a
copper color with prominent cheek bones, coal black hair, straight
noses, black eyes and an air of intelligence. Some say that they
are of Moorish descent. Their color and foreign appearance
weighed heavily against them in the pioneer days of
Tennessee. The mountain whites ostracized them severely in school
and church matters and refused them the right of citizenship and it was
not until 1852 they were allowed to vote. This right was only obtained
by them after a long struggle in the courts. The courts of Tennessee
had looked upon them as of negro origin and therefore the slave laws
were applied to them. All of them made oath that there was not a
drop of negro blood in their veins and when this fact was thoroughly
established they were allowed to vote and send their children to the
public schools of Hancock county. There were about sixty heads of
families who came to Hancock county in 1798 and they now number upwards
of 400.
The customs of the
Malungeons are in some respect peculiar. Every year they hold two
fairs, spring and autumn on Blackwater. Every family attends
these fairs and buys such goods and provisions as will supply them for
the ensuing six months. Their chief occupations are farming,
milling, hunting, fishing and digging medicinal herbs. By reason
of the last named occupation they are sometimes called "Diggers" for in
spring and autumn they wander through out the Tennessee mountains
gathering roots, barks, leaves and plants for the medicinal
laboratories of northern and eastern cities, and they make more money
at this business than any other. They live very plainly and
frugally.
Each man and his family
sit down to a rough wooden table at meals. A tablecloth is
unheard of and dishes or plated, knives, forks or spoons are luxuries
for which they have no use. Before sitting down to a meal every
man, woman and child bows and returns thanks in concert. When the
meal is finished thanks are again returned. They drink neither
coffee nor tea, and do not use tobacco. Bread is the
principal food eaten, summer and winter. One Malungeon will
eat enough of their heavy bread to last an American workman three or
four days. Other articles of food used are onions at every meal,
cucumbers, mushrooms, dred fish, melons, buckwheat and fruit.
Before the war the Malungeons were the most desperate and notorious
moonshiners in the mountains. Whiskeymaking was then their chief
occupation, and the early marshals and revenue collectors did not dare
go among them to capture their illicit distilleries. When the
officers persisted in their efforts to arrest them, a half-dozen deputy
marshal were killed before the government succeeded in interfering with
their stills. When the war came the Malungeons enlisted on the
union side and were good soldiers. About twenty of the old men
are now drawing quarterly pensions from the government for wounds
received.
They are a very
religious people, and commune with God many hours every day. It
is not an uncommon sight to meet a Malungeon walking or idling along
blackwater devoutly engaged in prayer and the appearance of a stranger
neither disturbs him nor his devotions. Until a few years ago
they held their meetings in some neighbor's home but now they have a
capacious church, though in the summer the meeting are held in
groves. No bell calls them to worship on the Sabbath or their
children to school on week days, but a long dinner horn is used, and
its shrill piercing call reaches far beyond Blackwater cove.
Every man is a lay preacher, though there are half a dozen Malungeons
set apart for that special work. The mountain missionaries who
have gone among them from time to time were hospitably received, but
made no impression upon them. Two Mormon elders were tarred and
feather some years ago for daring to preach their doctrines among them.
The women do almost as
much work as the Indian squaws. While the plowing is done by the
men, the plantings is the part of the women. Drawing water, cooking and
care of children is also their labor. The men build the framework
of the cabins and fences, milk and take care of the cows, and watch the
gardens. The make the best peach brandy in the mountains and
drink it as freely as water. Strangers are welcomed and generally
invited to the brandy still.
While the Malungeons
have finally fallen into American ways and legal ceremonies, until
about 1848 their marriage customs were unique. Courtship was
carried on as far as possible between the parties favorably disposed to
each other without the knowledge of the parents. When the matter
was finally settled between them the girl ran away from her own cabin
to that of the young man. The next day the father and brothers of
the young man, driving several head of cattle in front of them, walked
to the cabin from which the girl came to negotiate, if agreeable, the
proposed union. In case no objection was made more cattle were
exchanged and the two families met at their pastor, and a short
ceremony was followed by a great festival. The marriages
generally took place in August (which is still the favorite month)
after the harvests had been gathered and all had plenty of
leisure. Both parties had new songs and dances, and it was a
matter of emulation as to which should excel.
Before the war the
Malungeons were whigs, and when the party died they became Republicans,
to which party they still cling.