Hell Hounds of Appalachia

There are a lot of people who advise that Christianity and superstition, Paganism, and magic are not compatible. That there is no reason for the likes of people who proclaim Fundamental Christianity to believe in the things other than the Bible. I see where these folks are coming from in some regards, but I want to talk about the culture of Appalachia and why the old folks, while they proclaim to be Christians, will also talk of and believe non-Christian aspects like Hell Hounds, Faeryn (fairies), Spooks (ghosts), and the like.

Appalachia is a melting pot of the truest sense of German, Irish-Scots, English, First Nations, and African decent persons. Every person I know is of mixed identity in one form or another. I, myself, am a descendant of the Melungeons, a specific group of people in Appalachia who are mixed race of either European/Native American, European/ African, African/Native American, or the trifecta European/Native American/ African. My Melungeon line comes from the Mullins who were European/Native American. There are other ancestors of mine who were mixed race, but were not of the Melungeon "tribe" and they constitute of European/African, and African/Native American respectively.

Many will say that this is not important, that blood lines do not matter, but with our history it is what has defined who had atrocities committed against them. This brings us to the Appalachian Hell Hound. Most of you have heard of the dreaded hell hound and how it is pitch black as night, and will kill a person who comes across it, but even worse dragging their soul to Hell. At least that is how it is told to us. In other beliefs like in Greece they stand guard at the gates of the underworld, or even will stalk a person who is about to die of other causes. This isn't our Hell Hound. The Appalachian Hell Hound is something to truly be feared. They are not mere guard dogs, or omens of death, they are death.

We have an actual dog breed that is the face of the Appalachian Hell Hound and that is the Spanish Alano ( Alano Espanol ). I personally never knew why until one day I got curious and started to do some research.

Disclaimer: Please do not hate this breed. Animals who are under the control of man are not responsible for their actions against others. I am not advocating for anyone to do to this breed what has become of the Pitbull. It is not their fault. Even though the stories hurt, I hold no ill will against these dogs, and pray that you the reader will come to them with sympathy and open heartedness. (1)

Two words begins this story...

Christopher Columbus

Early print of Alanos used by Conquistadors

Christopher Columbus had sailed back to Europe to gather more men, ships, and supplies before tackling the New World. In this he also took with him war dogs, the Alano Espanol. Before this expedition, this breed had come into Spain with the Alano people. They are distinctively two types, ones who herded, and ones who were war dogs and defenders of the people. You can tell the difference between them by their snout, the herding dog being of shorter snout. They were effective in what they did and hundreds of years later by the time of Christopher Columbus they already had an impressive record behind them.

As you can imagine there is quite a storm brewing on this second trip of Christopher Columbus's. When they got to the New World, they attacked the Native populace. One of Christopher's men Bartolome De Las Casas stated after the Battle of Vega Real in 1495, a rebellion that ended in the slaughter, rape, and beheading of 3000 Taino in one day (and having used 20 war dogs in the effort), " Such inhumanities and barbarisms were committed in my sight as no age can parallel. My eyes have seen these acts so foreign to human nature that now I tremble as I write. " He quit working for Christopher Columbus and became a priest of the Catholic Church, never having fought again.

Christopher Columbus's son Ferdinand Columbus wrote, “The soldiers mowed down dozens with point-blank volleys, loosed the dogs to rip open limbs and bellies, chased fleeing Indians into the bush to skewer them on sword and pike, and ‘with God’s aid soon gained a complete victory, killing many Indians and capturing others who were also killed.”

Many other (in fact most) Conquistadors used war dogs in their effort against the First Nations. For their past time they would included these "soldiers" in activities. One such activity called Monteria Infernal is where they would set the dogs to hunt and then feast on captured Native Americans. It was common place to use the First Nations people as dog food, even and sometimes especially, children.

Later on we see the "Americans" take up the practice of using war dogs like the Alano, (but not restricted to this breed) against the First Nations to subdue and quell any resistance. The Alano however has left a special mark on the history of the Americas, including their usage North of the Rio Grande. Benjamin Franklin emphasized in a letter to James read during the French and Indian war on the precise manner of using war dogs, "This was the Spanish method."

Statue at Plaza de Santa Ana dedicated to the Alano breed used by the Conquistadors

These dogs (and of course other breeds) were continued to be used in such ferocity that the stories reverberate through out society today. We may not know why we call the Alano Espanol the original Hell Hound, we may not even know that there is an original Hell Hound in Appalachia, however the fear and stories from our Ancestors are there. There may be people who claim Christian faith, but whose practice doesn't look so much as what you expect of todays Fundamentalists, but that is because they are not today's Fundamentalists. They are folks who grew up with the old stories and witchcraft. Some that traveled across the sea, some that were given to us by the First Nations and/or the African ancestors, and some that were made brand new by the experiences of the people who live here. All combining into the form of Appalachian culture and Appalachian Folk Magic (2).

Alanos were used against any persons who rebelled against the Conquistadors.

So when you come to Appalachia and you see a little old man, who looks unaseeming, going about his business talking out burns, curing shingles, or telling old stories that would seem to go against any Christian faith, it is because these are the stories of our people. This is the magic of our people. For better or worse, we remember. This is the path accumulated and practiced for hundreds of years.

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(1) Personality and temperament: The Alano Espanol was at one point thought to be extinct, however two rural communities in both Southwestern and Northern Spain had preserved the species into near perfect homeostasis. They are well mannered, intelligent, and continue to help in herding cattle to this day. They are able to hold a cow when necessary and can be trained to hold the animal in such a way that it does not injure them or themselves at all. This is why I do not want this breed to become a victim of its history. Again while the stories are brutal, the fact is that a dog is made by its owner. As seen in Spain they can be of gentle nature if the handlers teach them to be, in so much that they can have an animal by the throat and willingly not draw a single drop of blood.

(2) In our neck of the woods specifically, dont you dare call us Granny women, Mountain Hoodoists, or the like. If anything you can say Appalachian Folk Magic Practitioner, or as we call it "Blessed by God." Anything else is a direct insult to who we are, and to our men folk. We need both medicines, and we respect both medicines. Our men do not practice Granny magic, they are blessed by God. Our women are not Mountain or Hillybilly Hoodooists, those are practices not of our people. We do things a little differently around here.

Who could hate this face? So cute!

*Photos go to their respective owners