Posts Tagged ‘Scotch’

Reason #3

February 20th, 2009

Appalachia is awesome!

 

When I was at RISD I spent a lot of time studying the history and culture of the Appalachians through English courses and a furniture department independent study, which resulted in the following instruments.  The Appalachians have a unique Scotch-Irish heritage that runs the length of the mountains.  Most of the Scots that settled this area made a rather long stop in Ireland first.  In an attempt to clear more land for them selves, and civilize the Irish, the British sent many Scottish Families over to Ireland.  Colonizing Ireland, however, did not go quite according to plan, and suddenly there were all these Scotts in Ireland that didn’t want to be there, that the Irish didn’t want there, and that the British wouldn’t let come home.  So many of them came to America and made the Appalachian Mountains their new home.  In response to this mixed heritage and loss of homeland I made this Banjo and Dulcimer, both of which are uniquely Appalachian instruments. 

 

scotchirish

 

So naturally I think it will be great to spend some time on these mountains, and hey, maybe I’ll even get to meet someone who can actually play one of these bad boys.