As part of West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Inside Appalachia folkways project, Appalachia’s unique connection to Wales has been explored. Both regions have mountainous landscapes, a history of coal extraction, folktales and it turns out, music. There is a growing community of musicians from both Wales and Appalachia who share an […]
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When Brady Walker first learned that some people go hungry, without a meal, he was four years old. And unlike most kids his age, he decided to take action. Brady lives in Mercer County, West Virginia, but he had a family friend named Ursula Candasamy, who has since passed away, […]
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Stories about Appalachia tend to fall into two camps– quaint stories about cultural oddities, or reports about grim health and economic statics that our region struggles with. And while those stories have merit, they aren’t the only stories that matter. In West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s latest episode of Inside Appalachia, […]
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Deep within the mountains of central West Virginia, is a tiny village called Helvetia. It was originally founded by Swiss settlers in the mid-1800s, as they felt the steep mountains, thick forests, winding river, all resembled their homeland. Today the town of about 50 people is a melting pot of […]
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West Virginia University’s mascot, the Mountaineer, is a big deal in the state. In fact, fans are called ‘Mountaineer Nation.’ West Virginians have long identified with the mascot as it symbolizes independence, strength and curiosity — a true frontiersman attitude. On a football gameday, the Mountaineer stampedes down the field, […]
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Flea markets are a common feature across rural landscapes, especially in Appalachia. If you have never been, there is typically something for everyone, and one West Virginian artist is turning the unique finds into art. “Sometimes it’s the imagery. A portion of my work has an industrial aspect to it, […]
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