19
OZARK CULTURE
HARRY GOLDEN, editor of the Carolina Israelites, has published among his many delightful essays one in which he argues that the Scottish are descended from the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. His tongue-in-cheek evidence includes their strong emphasis on Old Testament theology, a love for the Psalms, a great concern with the letter of the law, a deep regard for the sacredness of the Sabbath, and a lack of anti-Semitism.
Regardless of the validity of this hypothesis, the Ozark culture reflects its Scottish background in being Old Testament oriented. Segregation of the sexes continued in the Rolla area until a few years ago at the now-closed Elk Prairie Presbyterian Church where the men sat on one side and the women on the other.
Segregation of the sexes persists in a more subtle form. Socially, the menfolk and womenfolk tend to go into respective executive sessions for gossip or general visiting, a segregation, however, which some women would maintain is not confined to the Ozarks! The line between male and female duties and recreation is a sharp one, and a baby-sitting male is as rare as a coon-hunting female.
One paradox of gender arises in the field of water-witching in the Ozarks. According to Vance Randolph, a woman is considered to lack the power of witching for water; therefore, all Ozark witches specializing in this profession must be male. (Those who don't believe in water witching are referred to the bible: Numbers 20:
7-11.)
Minute differences in interpreting the literal word of the Scripture have contributed to the great variety of denominations and the continuing debate on issues such as the mode and timing of baptism. This debate was settled by one Ozarker who, when asked if he believed in infant baptism, replied, “Ah shore do, Ah've seen ‘em do it hundreds of times.”
Ozark views on justice are strongly Old Testament oriented. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Although the Ozarker may claim to accept the teachings of the New Testament in toto, he doesn't have much desire to turn the other cheek. If a complete no-good is shot, the shooting is commonly held to be in self-defense, accidental, or by person or persons unknown.
The Ozarker has tended formally to reject the concept of predestination to which some of his Calvinistic ancestors subscribed, and the term "Free-Will" is not uncommon in denominational names. Despite this avowed rejection of predestination or preordination, a resigned fatalism can result in expressions such as “Hit's the Lord's will.”
Hunting fever reaches heights near or exceeding religious ardor. Outsiders are incredulous when told that in certain areas students are excused from school for a day of the deer season. The tradition of hunting has survived with no signs of atrophy. The dog (bird or hound) has maintained a high status as one of the inner family, and hound-stealing is a sin comparable to wife-stealing. One facet of personnel relations not covered in college courses is that between employer-employee-dog. If a valuable employee has lost a hound dog, he should be given a reasonable amount of time to conduct a thorough search. Failure of management to realize the magnitude of such a personal crisis can result in permanent loss of an employee or a marked deterioration in his performance.
“The dog … has maintained a high status as one of the inner family”