This document describes the English colonizing the American south, which is a fundamental component of the Chapel Hill food story. Having taken place in the late 1500s to early 1600s, North Carolina had yet to be established as a state. However, the experiences the English encountered in Virginia were likely carried to the nearby area of North Carolina and are still present today. The excerpt from Smith’s document provides evidence of hunting practices used by the native inhabitants that the English observed and adapted.[1] This colony of English people traveled to America on the Sixt Voyage. The original settlers of Virginia considered themselves masters of hunting and took great pride in their abilities. They predominantly hunted deer, but also captured and devoured birds including hares, partridges, turkeys and eggs. The inhabitants would travel with their families to unoccupied locations in the mountains where they could pursue the game without competition. Their hunting methods consisted of forcing the deer into a narrow space such as a river where they were then killed and burned. A particularly interesting approach the settlers took to be successful in hunting was dressing in the skin of deer to camouflage themselves while preying.[1]

These practices can be considered as foundational to the colonial period of the North Carolina food story. Hunting continues to be a prominent hobby and source of food for people in the south, specifically deer hunting in North Carolina. I found this excerpt from the document especially interesting because the family of a close friend of mine values hunting as a way to provide for the family. The family continues to practice hunting, which some may consider antiquated, because they believe it to be the most sustainable way to consume meat in modern day America. These practices from the colonial period can be considered as foundational to the North Carolina food story.

[1] John Smith. To Another Part of Virginia, Where Now Are Planted Our English Colonies. Whom God Increase and Preserue : Discovered and Described by Captaine Iohn Smith, sometimes Governour of the Countrey. (Documenting the American South. University Library, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: I.D. and I.H, 2006.), 32.

Bibliography

Smith, John. 1606.  To Another Part of Virginia, Where Now Are Planted Our English Colonies. Whom God Increase and Preserue: Discovered and Described by Captaine Iohn Smith, sometimes Governour of the Countrey. Vol. 2. Accessed October 01, 2018. Documenting the American South. University Library, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: I.D. and I.H, 2006. https://docsouth.unc.edu/southlit/smith/smith.html

Smith, John. 1624. The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: With the Names of the Adventurers, Planters, and Governours from Their First Beginning, Ano: 1584. To This Present 1624. With the Procedings of Those Severall Colonies and the Accidents That Befell Them in All Their Journyes and Discoveries. Also the Maps and Descriptions of All Those Countryes, Their Commodities, People, Government, Customes, and Religion Yet Knowne. Divided into Sixe Bookes. By Captaine Iohn Smith, Sometymes Governour in Those Countryes & Admirall of New England. Documenting the American South. University Library, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: I.D. and I.H, 2006. https://docsouth.unc.edu/southlit/smith/smith.html

Rachel Howe