Women of These Hills - 3 Cultures of Appalachia - 2000

My mom was 92 ,she died a few mos, ago of covid. My grandma was in her 80's I was in my 30's when she died. I was 16, when my great grandma died , she was 99. I loved their stories. They made their own lye soap, soap made from flowers. Canned, foraged for black berries, healing herbs. Both had wood stove cooked on, and heat. Had fruit trees, grapes. Smoke house for meats, made buttermilk, cottage cheese, they had a cold house that was built over a spring branch. Rocked inside with shelfs. And big rocks in the water to set stuff on. Am happy to have been with them in those days.

Now I get older and I appreciate and realize how much history this nation has and how little they teach us in school.

As a 27 year old who grew up in privileged suburbia, stories like these make me feel nostalgic of a time and place I’ve never experienced. These women grew up without a lot, but their lives were so very rich.

this type of documentary is why I love youtube.

If you have parents, grandparents or other elders still living, get them to talk about their upbringing and what it was like for them, how they felt, what challenges they faced.  History of your family matters.

I am a middle-aged woman of African-American, Native American, French and Irish descent. I grew up in the country and watching this not only made me very nostalgic I cried happy and sad tears. Thank you so much for this documentary!

What a marvelous documentary of mountain heritage. Isn't it remarkable how these women talked about what they had in common? Not one of them said they were victims of poverty or oppression. They saw their lives as gifts & were grateful and generous.

Back when people didn't know they wanted "stuff". They had plenty to eat, and clothes to wear. I could learn a lot from these ladies.

People like this are the backbone of this country and they will create a irreplaceable gap when they are gone.

My attention was caught immediately when I saw the thumbnail of this video . I saw the picture of the precious old Indian lady and my first thought was That's my grandmother! She looks just like her! So I just had to keep watching. Funny thing, my dad's name is Sequoyah. I really enjoyed this video! Precious people, those old ones. Makes me long for that life.

My Grandmother was born in 1913. My mother in 1945. They had a pride. A humility and their souls were intact. Grateful to be a son of good men and their fine women. We are for sure a lost people right now. I trust God does have a plan. These ladies are beauty defined. Many Thanks.

3 women who lived life to the fullest and took on the responsibility God gave them to do. Well done, ladies!!🙏🏼❤️🇺🇸

God-fearing, salt-of the earth, self-sustaining, wise, and beautiful women that I could listen to for hours! They each remind me of my grandma from the mountains of Tucker County, WV, whom I miss very much! Thank you, and God Bless you for posting this!

My Mama is now 89 yrs old and I love when she tells us stories of the old days...they had it hard compared to us and to our children too, but I think they were happy and contented. We kids were happy growing up in a small rural community. We had structure, good, strong hardworking parents and wise grandparents. We were blessed. TY you for sharing this lovely video....those stories are priceless!!! Cheers from sunny FL :-)

I love this! I just ran across it tonight. Born and raised in Sylva, NC. I remember Mary Jane and the Queen family from mountain heritage day growing up. She passed in 2007. Amanda Swimmer is still alive, I believe I saw where she was teaching something about pottery in the one feather not long ago. My Dad is a local artist, he did a painting of her. Makes me miss my grandma who passed a year ago. I left back in 2003, but wanted to come back the whole time. Now I'm back I don't think I ever want to leave again, it's like a different world and it's in my blood.

I'm a black seventy year old woman, she is describing my childhood 😘👍🏼also.

I love listening to elders tell how life was for them. When I was a teenage, my grandma tried to tell me about her youth, but like many teens, I brushed her off. I wish I had listened. There was much I could have learned.

These women are such beautiful humans. What they went through. What we take for granted today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your lives with us!

Love this! Reminds me of my grandma. We are a mix of Irish and Cherokee on maternal side but my grandfather’s father came from Lebanon! Both grandparents were extremely hard working and very frugal with financing. 2 of many wise words were passed down to us kids 1) Waste not- want not!! 2) And idol hands are the devil’s workshop. But we also learned pride from anything other than hard work was sin. Technology has replaced tradition. That’s so sad!! Simplicity/ honesty/ humility/ kindness/loyalty/ modesty/ and most threatening is the decaying of FAMILY!!!! These are divine seeds that are all so sadly lost to hi tech and corporate cities / lost on greed and vanity. Seeds of respecting and learning from our elders is mocked and we can not recover from losing heritage!! The seeds today are planted upon shallow trampled on ground. No one is cultivating simple culture. 😞

I don't know why.... this video made me so emotional. These three woman are so precious. I'm so glad I came across this documentary.