“Faces” in the Piney Woods Final Fieldwork Report

Prepared for Georgia Council for the Arts Folklife Program Grant FY04-41-271

Timothy Prizer, author

Dr. Laurie Sommers, Introduction and editor

South Georgia Folklife Project, Valdosta State University, ©2004

Table of Contents

Part One: Introduction....................................................................... Page 1

Part Two: Meet the Interviewees....................................................... Page 7

Part Three: In the Woods.................................................................. Page 19
 

I.        “Them Jokers Could Work”                                                              Page 19

II.      The “Boss Men”                                                                              Page 26

III.    Diversions in the Woods                                                                  Page 29

IV.   “It Just Sounded Like a Song, All Day Long”                                     Page 32

V.     The Turpentine Mule and the Pickup Truck                                       Page 37

VI.   Knowledge, Innovation, and Coping With Danger                               Page 42

VII. Nature’s Best Medicine: Pure Turpentine                                          Page 49

Part Four: The Camp, The Community............................................. Page 53
 

I.        Living Quarters in the Camp                                                        Page 53

II.      “From the Womb to the Tomb”: Commissary & Camp Life              Page 55

III.    Jookin’, Drinkin’ and No Blue Lights Flashin’                                  Page 60 

                   

IV.   Women and Domestic Life                                                            Page 63

V.     Beneath the Steeple                                                                      Page 65

VI.   Children and Schooling                                                                 Page 67

Part Five:  The “Spirits” of Turpentine:  A Conclusion.................... Page 75
 

Part Six:  Literature Cited............................................................... Page 82