Ozark Customs are Unique
by Jim Wirth
     Human Development
    Green County
    wirthj@missouri.edu

Marriage, funerals and hunting were subject to unique customs in the Ozarks.

MARRIAGE
     In regard to courtship and marriage customs, early Ozarkers referred to courting as "they’re talking." Ozarkers also believed that if you wanted to stay married, it was best to get married in a room where the boards ran long in front of you.

     Wedding garments were white." Marry in white and you’ll always be right." At the bride’s house, they had a big dinner and although dancing was a religious taboo, they did allow a wed-ding dance. On the day after the wedding, there was a dinner at the groom’s house.

FUNERALS
     Funerals were long and drawn out and were often held in the home. Because there was no embalming, you had to bury quickly in warm weather. The funeral process included a big dinner, singing about 20 mourning songs over the casket and graveyard preaching.

HOSPITALITY
     There were unique Scot-Irish expressions of hospitality. For example: "Come in and eat a dirty bite." "Come in and see how our poor folks live." Or, "Come down to our shack and stay. It leaks awful, but we let the visitors sleep in the dry spot."

BUTCHERING
     Most Ozarkers lived off the land, taking advantage of the area’s abundant fish, turkeys, rabbits and squirrels.

Hogs could be butchered and packaged for $5 and turkeys were herded like cattle. Springfield, Mo. was a hen-raising area and the city of Crane annually hosted its Broiler Festival.