The Story Behind Haint Blue and porches in the South

[@j.l.hughes-bailey2401]

The spiritual ward usage is very interesting. However, when you paint the ceiling of your porch Haint Blue, you also decrease the chance of having wasp nests or other stinging, upper nesting insects making your house their home. When they see the blue color, they confuse the ceiling for the sky, and don't try to make their nest there. It's always worked well to keep them away for us. Wonderful, informative, beautiful video, sir!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you very much!

[@jeannadriver9552]

I'm from Texas; I've heard the Haint Blue name before; I've also heard painting the ceiling of your porch kept away the wasps, etc. Ye-haw!

[@JerilynnSchultz]

I think it's a lovely color. It makes the porch feel cooler. Thanks for the history of the Gullah people!

[@DixieAfterDark]

@@JerilynnSchultz glad you enjoyed it.

[@Road_Rash]

It doesn't work... ceiling of my front & back porches have been blue for years & it hasn't discouraged anything... I remove wasp nests all the time, birds nest under them... nothing thinks it's the sky...

[@juliecoates4993]

I live in Yorktown, Virginia - technically in the south. I painted the front porch and sunroom ceilings Haint Blue years ago and I have not had to sweep a single spider web off them!

[@DixieAfterDark]

interesting. I found that it keeps away insects as well. Thanks for confirming that.

[@karenroot450]

Geez what the hell is in this special paint? It’s a beautiful color

[@toddgiaro7657]

I’m in Kentucky and my porch ceiling is painted blue, it keeps down insects.

[@jolee6531]

I was also told that wasps won't build nests near it.

[@samsmom1491]

I painted the top 10 inches of the walls and the entire ceilng in my bedroom and no bugs, spiders or haints!

[@lisacooper3991]

Porch ceilings painted that color to keep bees from making a nest. They think it's the sky.. great video

[@DixieAfterDark]

Cool, thanks

[@TheOnlyLadyBella]

I just want to say, your channel is amazing. I have learned so much. My ancestry is so complex. I consider myself a walking history book. I am descendant of people who came on the Mayflower, people who were in Jamestown, people who came over on the slave ships, who were in the Carolinas and eventually sold to Mississippi and Alabama. I have white ancestors that fought in the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War. I have Black ancestors who were in slaved, lived through Jim Crow and the Civil Rights movements while protecting this country in the Vietnam and Korean War. I said all that to say, videos like this not only entertain me but also allow me to feel a connection to those of my past. One last thing, I'm also not ashamed of my gullah geechee cousins when they speak anymore. 😂 ❤

[@DixieAfterDark]

Oh wow, your genealogy would be a researcher's dream!!! Isn't it crazy how much history takes place to make you who you are? We truly stand on the shoulders of giants, and you more so than many of us.

[@YsabetJustYsabet]

Interesting... I'm fourth-generation NW Florida-bred, and my Aunt Sue used to paint her porch-ceiling sort of a light denim blue. It didn't match anything else, but I remember liking it; I thought it was pretty. Lots of her neighbors did too; and now I live out in the Southwest but I still keep blue bottles lining my windowsill for good luck, like my grandmama did; I remember my grandmama also mentioning that Aunt Sue should've used 'milk paint' for her porch, though she didn't say why. I also saw bottle-trees and ropes with bottles hanging on them by the dozens when I was in the Honduras, too. Some things last longer than logic, and I like that.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Lasts longer than logic....I love the way you worded that. Thank you so much for that.

[@TrineDaely]

6th gen originally out the same area here. I have yet to see a bottle tree and didn't even know they were a thing. Always something new and interesting to learn!

[@unexpectedvixen5685]

I'm a 4th generation nw floridian too! That's crazy!

[@susiek.johnson3923]

That's not the same blue. But I ❤ cobalt blue bottles , got them all over my place.

[@thomasskrappy3250]

My great grandmother was a threater(treater) and had a blue bottle tree in her yard to advertise.

[@annabelleb.8096]

Being a northerner I wouldn't have thought anything of it, except it's a pretty color, very quaint looking. I like it.

[@DixieAfterDark]

I'm glad you liked it.

[@susiek.johnson3923]

I have almost as many Southern descendants in the North as I do in the South. Life happens, so yes I grew up with Southern traditions, including haint blue, ol green eyes, and many others. 😊

[@Bh-jf2bu]

West coaster

[@gisellegonzalez4677]

My family is from Puerto Rico I’m first generation mainlander, there’s a coastal town South of the island called Louiza Aldea, this was one of the first stops of the slave ships, there’s a very strong and beautiful community of these decedents and yes their homes are Haint blue. I asked one lady what shade of blue is her home it was gorgeous, she told me it’s used to keep Maldiciones away (evil eye) and to allow spirits to continue on their journey, and it also keeps the mosquitos and other bugs away. Her story of her history was fascinating. The homes are beautiful colonial style that date back from the Spanish. Who would’ve thought that you would find this connecting thread on my little island lol

[@DixieAfterDark]

Amazing! I love how little things connect everyone.

[@gisellegonzalez4677]

@@DixieAfterDark I was listening to your story and I was blown away lol. By the way you’re a great story teller.

[@DixieAfterDark]

@@gisellegonzalez4677 aw, thank you 😊

[@Heyu7her3]

There also could've been influence from those Southern Gullah folks since cultural folks is bidirectional & those enslaved by the Spanish (PR) & the British (GA) came from different traditions 🤔 Thinking of how 19-20th century African musicians were influenced by Black American musicians

[@irairod5160]

Sweet! I'm familiar with the area. The correct spelling is LOIZA Aldea. Great food and musical traditions there, especially the preservation of "bomba" dancing.

[@leabarto8156]

I painted my porch ceiling haint blue the minute we bought our place. The original home on my property has a haint blue porch ceiling as well. I'm in Tennessee.

[@DixieAfterDark]

awesome!!

[@ItsMeHello555]

I’m also in TN! East TN! Hey, neighbor! 🧡

[@leabarto8156]

@@ItsMeHello555 howdy neighbor! What part of TN are you in? I'm in northeast TN.

[@ItsMeHello555]

Gosh, we ARE neighbors! I’m Northeastern part too! Small world! @@leabarto8156

[@sharonmccoin5262]

Hello from Nashville. I’m not one bit superstitious, but previously you would have found majority of porch ceilings here painted blue until the mass exodus from California. They don’t seem to adopt our Southern traditions. 😎

[@katanaki3059]

Fascinating to learn about the Gulla community. Narrator has a nice voice and the simple strumming in the background is terrific

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you so much!

[@virginiaoflaherty2983]

I also liked the subtle music and slow low key narration.

[@DixieAfterDark]

@@virginiaoflaherty2983 thank you

[@Disco1000]

Agree, so beautiful ❤️🦘🇦🇺❤️❤️❤️

[@143purple]

Love it 🫶🙏💪😍💜

[@LitaKing-e4h]

Haint blue is the color of the year ❤ thanks for another wonderful story & lesson.

[@DixieAfterDark]

You are so welcome!

[@lyamainu]

I was taught the “evil spirits can’t cross running water” version. And also that the original paint had some sort of chemical that helped repel mosquitos - and thus the diseases (evil spirits) they carried. No idea if that’s true, or just someone trying to justify their ancestor’s superstitions. I loved this video! I love all your videos, but this one was full of nostalgia for me. I also loved learning about the Gullah people, who have such an interesting history. Thank you for all your hard work!

[@DixieAfterDark]

I'm so glad you liked this one!!

[@CricketsBay]

The chemicals used to get the pigment from the Indigo plant is toxic to mosquitoes. Mosquitoes don't like the smell of Indigo either.

[@DixieAfterDark]

@@CricketsBay sweet!! I gotta try this now.

[@TinaP1234]

The Japanese traditionally used indigo dyed clothes for working in the field to repel mosquitoes.

[@violetsinspring5863]

I love haint blue! I’m in Atlanta and all the ceilings in my house are that color. Growing up in NC my grandmother’s porch ceiling was haint blue. Thx for this video❤

[@DixieAfterDark]

So cool!

[@ld3418]

We took a civil war tour when my boy was 7 and learned about haint blue. When we moved and bought our new house in VA, I painted all the ceilings haint blue to make him feel more secure. I loved them; everyone loved them and we continue to do the same to all our dwellings. It raises the ceiling out of view and lends a peaceful ambience to very room. I did lighten the original by cutting with 2 parts white which made it een more peaceful.

[@DixieAfterDark]

That sounds beautiful

[@bettyfeliciano7322]

Wow! How interesting & intriguing! I’ve never heard of this before. My mother was very superstitious & hated black cars & leaning ladders! My dad’s cousin (front seat) and my Daddy, me, Mom in the back seat. Just as we were ready to leave, my mom saw a black cat run in front of the car & she absolutely didn’t want us to move forward! She wanted us to turn around & go the opposite way. Dad overruled her & off we went. On the way to visit my aunt in the hospital, we were rear-ended by a dump truck with a flat metal plate on front of the truck. We all flew out of the car and we were in the hospital with my aunt we were going to visit!! I’m not sure if the cat had anything to do with it at all, but it sure solidified my mom’s superstitions!! Lol. Blessings always! ❤️✝️😊

[@DixieAfterDark]

Ooh, I get your mom had "I told you so" quips for days LOL. I hope everyone mad full recoveries. My great-grandfather was the same way with black cats. VERY superstitious about them.

[@bettyfeliciano7322]

@@DixieAfterDark Lol! Yes she made sure we didn’t forget that lesson! ❤️✝️😊

[@sandidavis820]

I had an Aunt that was that way about black cats, she would still go where she had intended to, but would go miles out of her way to get around the cat. My son and I have 2 black cats and they are awesome.

[@connieburns4837]

My grandmother was a very superstitious person. She didn’t hate black cats, per se, but she was a firm believer that if a black cat crossed your path it was bad luck. And she would just about skin you alive if she saw you walk under a ladder!😂 There were so many things she was superstitious about. She was born in 1903 and passed away in 1985. Wish she was still here, she had so much more wisdom to share about life. I miss her still to this day.

[@cecilyerker]

Black cats are a warning of danger, so they’re really doing you a service if you see one cross your path, because you get the opportunity to turn around. If you have a black cat as a pet, they bring love and good luck to your home.

[@chriskoch1241]

I remember being introduced to the word "haint" on a visit to our southern relatives. One of my inlaws was furious about a neighbor who had done some damage to property and shouted "I'm mad enough to chase a haint up a tree!" It took me a second to realize what that word was, and I've loved that phrase ever since.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Cool!!!

[@Ferret8185]

Now this was interesting. I love history and I never heard of any of this. This southern stuff is fascinating. Yep, everyone loves a good story. Thank you. I loved it!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@BrownEyedGirl1367]

I fell into the Gullah rabbit hole through recipes & potions, via Pat Conroy. Such a rich, enduring culture! My experience with the color on porches, from Galveston to New Orleans had mostly to do with warding off insects, but I also heard about haints. My mother loved cobalt blue glass, & I’ve weirdly saved blue bottles for many years.

[@DixieAfterDark]

My mom has a lot of cobalt blue glassware too. I love the look of it.

[@gaius_enceladus]

Wonderful video! Those doors and window-shutters painted "Haint Blue" look lovely! A wonderful part of the Gullah culture!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@fromashestophoenix3018]

Thank you Dixie. I have learned so much from this channel. Now I want to paint my porch haint blue!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Wonderful! Thank you so much.

[@deellaboe437]

yup my grandparents still have the blue doors and the bottle trees in the yard. Haint blue is so pretty too.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome!

[@troywillis4939]

I grew up in South Texas and was told to always paint your porches grey and the porch ceiling blue. Since the days before air conditioners, most homes had large windows to let in more air. So with all white porches it also let in alot of light and with fabric dyes being mainly produced from plant bases, this led to a lot of fading on the upholstery and drapery fabrics. Painting the porches blue and grey helped lessen the damage. A very interesting video. The only rice growing in Texas was up South of where Houston would be. I never heard of The Gullah People being brought in, but then I try to stay away from the Houston area as much as possible.

[@Josh.T.H.]

Very cool! I had heard the blue porch ceilings was because it mimicked the sky and would deter birds from nesting on your porch.

[@DixieAfterDark]

It works for that too.

[@aloysiusdevanderabercrombi470]

From Mississippi. I've always known that haint blue was for deterring spirits.

[@STho205]

It does mimic the sky and long overhang porches were not common in England....but were very common amongst French and Spanish riviera towns. They got adopted by British and East Coast Americans as they moved west due to the practicality. Surplus US army and navy paint after the War of 1812, Seminole and Mexican War is pale blue almost teal (1 part Prussian Blue, 2 parts white). So availability played a factor like battleship gray in the late 1940s and the 50s...and olive green in the 60s and 70s.

[@Josh.T.H.]

@@STho205 that makes so much sense. I work on historic French colonial structures and not only are the porch roofs painted that almost teal blue, but there's a lot of late 1700/early 1800 Prussian Blue paint on interior walls. Side note- once it oxidizes over a hundred plus years, it turns almost into a dark green color. Thanks for the info!

[@SewCraftyShanna]

Learned about the Gulla when I lived in Charleston, SC. Still a lively community

[@DixieAfterDark]

Absolutely

[@Stems-Whiskers]

The first thing I did when I moved into my historic Illinois home that sits across the street from an equally historic cemetery was paint my porch ceiling Haint Blue. I was taught the color would keep ghosts (haunts) from entering your home because they would confuse it for water, which they can't cross. Great video. Makes me miss home.

[@DixieAfterDark]

I'm glad you enjoyed this one!

[@pamelanadel3787]

Lived and dated a very successful paint contractor in Charleston. He introduced me to haint blue. Been in love ever since.

[@DixieAfterDark]

awesome

[@talestoldinthedark]

Completed my weekend. Thank you again. I didnt know this about blue painted doors. Thank you for sharing.

[@DixieAfterDark]

You are so welcome!

[@helenneal4950]

I knew it was called Haint Blue and knew it was for protection but didn't know the history. Thank you so much. I'm off to Lowe's 😂

[@DixieAfterDark]

😆 best of luck, and have fun with it.

[@bwktlcn]

My great gran was a witchy woman - translated, she was a midwife and used herbal cures, back in the early 1900’s. And yes, her ceilings were blue, and there were blue bottles in the windows. One of the neighbors had her worried that there was “deviltry” in some of what she did, and had her so upset she took the blue bottles out of the window to her baby, Alford’s, nursery…and he was her only child to die from Spanish flu in the family, back in 1918. My gran jumped on her when the neighbor had the nerve to show up at the funeral. That was the only family in town she would never help after that. She’d call the doc and send them around, but that was all. I’m a nurse, my sister is a doctor, so it bred true, I guess.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thanks for sharing. Sounds as if you've got some good healing in your genes. We're lucky to have you in the medical profession.

[@annavizard970]

Here in the hills of NC we still use the word haint.Ex:Hainted Holler etc. Thank you. It was all so interesting.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@AliciaGuitar]

In my community we had a road called "Haint's Holler". I rode by it the other day and the sign was changed to "Haunts Hollow" 🤦‍♀️ i liked the southern way better.. this is Tennessee not New York!

[@carolynpurser7469]

I've heard of the Gullah people but didn't know much about their history and culture. Interesting video.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you. I enjoy bringing that little history into this one. I learned some things myself researching this one.

[@ochervelvet9687]

A few years ago I took a trip to Charleston, SC. The architecture there is so charming, and so many houses, block after block, have covered porches with ceilings painted haint blue. It’s a lovely, delicate color, very soothing and peaceful. If I ever have a covered porch I will do the same.

[@DixieAfterDark]

I've been to Charleston, and I agree 100%

[@BABADOOK726]

This was more than a history tale TY for the info

[@DixieAfterDark]

glad you enjoyed it.

[@dreamalittledreamofme3]

My porch ceiling is painted Haint Blue. It's my favorite place to hang out.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome!

[@TomMcHugh-l4v]

Love these videos ! In New England, people painted front doors red for similar reasons of warding off evil. Even today, red front doors are very popular.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Cool!!!

[@littlebluefish6606]

I lived in New England for 25 years. But I grew up in the Midwest. Out in the Midwest, you painted your front door red once you paid off your mortgage.

[@camillechapman3108]

I was recently in Charleston and was really surprised to see that many of the porch ceiling were not blue. When I lived in an older section of Portsmouth, Virginia every porch had a blue ceiling. Love the story behind it!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Interesting. I haven't been to Charleston in a long time.

[@dan-patrickobrien3580]

I'm from Charleston and am extremely curious to know why you (think you didn't) see many piazzas (our term for porches and balconies) with the haint blue, it's almost impossible to miss. I mean Virginia isn't even within the Gullah Geechee corridor or the deep south so I'm at a loss here. haint blue is VERY and I mean VERY light. the darker blue you see on certain shutters and doorways is "supposed to be" haint blue but the real color is on the tops of the piazzas. we are the capital of the Gullah Geechee culture (similarly to how New Orleans is the capital of Creole culture demonstrated by the Prescence of voodoo everywhere) so the Prescence of colors and items associated with hoodoo and other spirituality is strong in Charleston if you know what to look for. It's almost impossible to miss. This isnt meant to be a combative reply but its absurd to me as someone who has seen this stuff every single day for 33 years, i have to say BS on this.

[@saraross8396]

​@dan-patrickobrien3580 I'd guess that maybe it just wasn't as prevalent in the part of the city they visited. I've lived in the south for most of my life, and to my recollection, I have yet to see one of the bottle trees that are supposedly all over the place. I don't doubt their existence, but given that to the best of my knowledge I have never seen one, I am inclined to think that it is perhaps not as widespread as the video makes it out to be. Naturally I am open to the possibility that they do exist but are simply not in the areas which I've traveled or lived in.

[@dan-patrickobrien3580]

@@saraross8396 could be true, I know the lowcountry and its hard to not see it. It's really not a "south" thing. More so a South Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana (South and southwest LA) maybe eastern TX as well type thing. Places Where hoodoo and voodoo are heavily present I'd say.

[@douglasworley-lr9dr]

My Late Grandmama had her bedrooms painted "Haint Blue" to keep ghost and evil spirits away.....Miss MY Grandmama😢😢😢😢

[@DixieAfterDark]

I'm sorry, but I'm glad to hear you have food memories.

[@karenh.]

I heard about haints growing up in SE Texas. Lots of bottle trees there too.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome!!

[@amandabyrd9349]

Lots of rice farms there as well. It wouldn’t surprise me if the reason you see the blue ceilings and bottle trees was similar to this.

[@1GoodWoman]

Thrilled I found your channel! Thank you.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you. I'm so glad you are enjoying everything.

[@tracylopez3967]

I live in Charleston, SC near the barrier islands and much to my astonishment there’s still a thriving Gullah community here. Thanks so much for recounting their fascinating history so well. I love your channel-probably because I hail from the superstitious South too.❤

[@DixieAfterDark]

That is awesome!

[@terrisomers7843]

I've always wondered about the bottle trees. I live in Arkansas and see them around down here. My fiance and I both have collections of different blue glass bottles that are displayed on windowsills around our 112 year old farmhouse. Thanks for teaching me something new today! 😊

[@DixieAfterDark]

Very cool! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@ropeburnsrussell]

Lots of blue bottles on New England windowsills also. I wonder if theres a connection . Fascinating video,thanks.

[@DixieAfterDark]

I think so!

[@ropeburnsrussell]

@@DixieAfterDark people forget that new England has hill people also . My grandfather drove oxen and mules before he ever drove a truck. The home farm was too steep to use tractors, sometimes stories would be told of indian fights although they were 150 years in the past. I wish I had paid more attention, there is no longer anyone to ask.

[@DixieAfterDark]

@@ropeburnsrussell there are so many fragments of stories I heard from grandparents and great-grandparents as a kid that I wish I had recorded or written down. People don't realize until it's too late.

[@ropeburnsrussell]

@@DixieAfterDark yup, all of a sudden we are the old ones. In a few decades they will miss our stories, it's all part of the cycle.

[@DixieAfterDark]

@@ropeburnsrussell sad but true

[@KevinHGoDawgs]

Well, where I live in middle Georgia, I haven’t seen too much of this. But we DID have some guy in the neighborhood across the highway from us, paint his entire house purple and yellow, because he was a huge LSU fan 🤣 You could have seen it from the ISS, in orbit!

[@DixieAfterDark]

He did that in Georgia??? Bold, very bold LOL 😆

[@KevinHGoDawgs]

@@DixieAfterDark Well, it didn’t last too long. Either his wife or the homeowners association must have made him repaint it, and yeah.. GO DAWGS, Sic ‘Em Woof Woof Woof!!

[@DixieAfterDark]

@@KevinHGoDawgs 😆

[@karenroot450]

Dixie!!! What a great video. This color is beautiful and reminds me of the tropics and Mexico. I’ve seen bottle trees but didn’t know their meaning What a fantastic learning experience. You sir have brought History Alive. I could just imagine the Gullah People going about life. Interesting the Lowlands People were Freed first due to the superstition of Sickness. I am happy to hear they kept so many traditions and beliefs. This is so important for each of us. Thank you for this just wonderful. Looking for more……more…

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you for the kind comment, and I'm so glad you enjoyed this one.

[@cynthiathompson6020]

I live in NC and have a haint blue porch ceiling. Yes I’m a little superstitious, but I love the color

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome! And, you and me both on the superstition side of things.

[@sharinnature]

Good evening! That was awesome and informative as always 👍👍👍Thanks for sharing ❣️I think it looks beautiful.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thanks for watching! I agree, I love how it looks.

[@loodcatnoods]

Glad you bit! Awesome video!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you!!

[@marthajean50]

Wow, thought I was going to learn about the popularity of a color, but it turned out to be one of the very best cultural education videos I've ever seen. What a great job you did on this! Never learned so much about so many subjects in under 10 minutes. Much appreciated! 💦🖌

[@DixieAfterDark]

Wow, thank you!

[@jennifermoody6987]

I absolutely LOVE your videos!! I'm very curious about the story of The Haunted Pillar in Augusta GA, because the mystery behind it is so fascinating.. I'd be willing to bet money that you could definitely bring that story to life, just like you do each and every one of the stories you cover.. MUCH LOVE ❤❤😊😊

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome!! I haven't heard that one before. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll dig into it.

[@Nancy4133nope]

What a fantastic video, I really enjoyed listening to it. Odd as a southern I knew alot about some of the stuff you were speaking of but for me the personal connection really struck me. I had heard of folks painting their doorways blue to ward off evil. I also remember reading an article about how indigo was being grown in the south I am from Florida , north central Florida in a farming community. As a jewelry artist I have studied the Tureq which were once known as the Blue people because of their connection to indigo, as a fabric artist I knew of the plant as well. Odd as it is I just planted some indigo seeds in my hot house although they will take four years to bloom indigo seems somehow connected to me. The world is a funny place when it comes full circle lol did I mention I am about to build a new porch and yes it will be painted Haint Blue as both Behr and several other paint companies have this color of paint for sale lol

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome!! Thanks for sharing.

[@semigoth299]

There’s several shades of Haint and I’m interested in it, and a great idea as well, thank you for covering it I detest flies etc, so both of my future place will have the shade of Haint on both porches. I’ve seen several bottle trees while traveling through parts of Alabama.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Hope it works out for you!!!

[@semigoth299]

@@DixieAfterDark yes better than pesticides, if only they could develop a color that would repel ner to well family and friends from bothering you sometimes a spook is better than kin 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@DixieAfterDark]

@@semigoth299 Absolutely 😂100%

[@semigoth299]

@@DixieAfterDark I knew that you would like that 😂🤣

[@martsharpe1782]

Very interesting history on the Gullah people. I appreciate your research. I live in South Carolina and enjoy learning about its history, and southern history and culture. Glad this video popped up on my feed.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@cemeteryvisits]

Been waiting all weekend for this 👍👍👍

[@DixieAfterDark]

Hope you like it.

[@cemeteryvisits]

@@DixieAfterDarkvery nice 👍 and honestly didn’t know about this, I however have seen bottle trees in the southern areas of my state 👍

[@DixieAfterDark]

@@cemeteryvisits a lot of haint blue in my area. not so much bottle trees, but lots of hanging blue glass in yards.

[@kathleenroberts7972]

Loved this! My daughters 1864 house has a haint blue porch ceiling. We both have blue glass bottle trees with many bottles from the old monks vineyard in st augustine. This video was fun and informative.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you so much!!!

[@sasha1mama]

Blue glass also just looks pretty. Cuzzits *BLUUUUUUUE.* :3

[@DixieAfterDark]

❤️

[@doyledean2763]

I love it when I learn something completely new! Many thanks!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@AdventuresUnseen24]

Very interesting. I did not know this. Thanks so much for sharing 😊 🤗👍

[@DixieAfterDark]

You are so welcome

[@TheIronShieldmaiden]

In Brazil, on the rural areas of the Southeast region, people also paint their doors, windows and porches blue, but they use a darker shade similar to the one seen in the blue bottles. (I saw many houses in the countryside of the state of São Paulo painted white and blue). And they use it for the same purpose: to ward off evil spirits. Brazil has a dark and sad history concerning enslaved African people, so I believe the origins of this costume is the same.

[@DixieAfterDark]

You could very well be right.

[@itsamysticlife3500]

If you look at the old cottages in Celtic countries, you'll see that blue on and around doors and windows was traditional. Other European cultures also used it. This belief was brought to the South by the Scots Irish and spread throughout. Blue is still the traditional color to repel negative spirits, evil wishes and jealousies (aka the evil eye), and to protect against spells. Did you know that false indigo is a native plant to the America's and has been used in dyes for many centuries before European contact? Also, the natural dye from all indigos has a smell that bugs really dislike and try to avoid. So it's pretty and protects you again. I always find it interesting interesting that no one remembers that the name Gullah Geechee comes from two native american tribes from that area. Gullah is a variation of Guale, the Mississippian tribe that lived along that coastal area, including the islands. Geechee comes from the Ogeechee River that flows into the swamps of that same area and means "river of the Uchee" in the Muscogee language. Just thought I'd add a little more info that always gets lost in the stories of the area. Y'all have a blessed time and hurry back soon.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you so much for the added context. It's a perfect addition with this story.

[@parkerbrown-nesbit1747]

It's interesting what you say about indigo's smell. I'm a spinner/weaver/dyer and I do a lot of natural dyeing. I really haven't noticed that indigo smells much while growing (dyeing the traditional way is another story. Then it really DOES stink).

[@itsamysticlife3500]

@parkerbrown-nesbit1747 I learned that from watching a video about traditional Japanese indigo dyeing and patching of farmer's clothing. It was a fascinating video, but the mosquito repellent ability was really the only part that stuck with me.

[@northernkarma9296]

Fascinating! Now I have a new favorite color! Much love from NW Ontario.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome!!!

[@JustFluffyQuiltingYarnCrafts]

Thank you for this mini lesson on the Gullah Geechee people and their traditions. ❤

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@mousiebrown1747]

Thank you for sharing! I’m from New Orleans, and many old houses have the blue painted porch roof, which I heard was to discourage wasps from nesting there.

[@DixieAfterDark]

It seems to work for that too!

[@adrienebailey9010]

Your stories are so interesting. I have never even heard of this before. I know I grew up with my grandparents and they were so superstitious about everything.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Mine were as well, and even my mom to an extent. I guess that's why these stories stick with me so well.

[@Dee-743]

I’m in Tennessee. I know of many who painted their porches blue. My family didn’t but my sweet grandmother called ghosts “haints”.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome! I still know a few people that still say haints.

[@MelindaWalker-p4x]

Fascinating- my grandparents porch ceiling in Florida was painted blue now I know why!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad I could help

[@patriciawilliams5219]

Love the video! I'm a Virginian and -- of course -- my door is and always has been haint blue.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome!

[@isarose3136]

This was randomly suggested to me by YT and I have to say, really nice job! I know a brighter deeper blue is common in North Africa and around the Mediterranean, and that the Tuareg are known for their blue head wraps...makes me wonder where indigo was grown in Africa... I laughed at your karma comment. True that. I also used to live in SC and GA for many years and I would always be so happy to come upon a swept yard with a bottle tree!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you! I'm glad you found it interesting.

[@TeknoMediumsParanormal1111]

Thank you ladies, bein' a Yankee, I never knew why porches, ceilings in particular, were painted sky blue! ❤

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad to help.

[@SpanishEclectic]

Nice history to flesh out the story. I love it when old photos are included. :)

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you like them!

[@artofescapism]

Lived all my life in the south- haint blue has such a rich history, and it's also just such a lovely shade! I fully intend on continuing the tradition with my future house. And the bottle trees are very common in my area, as well- my aunt had a big one in the yard, but she used lots of colorful bottles, not only blue.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Yeah, I've seen the multi colored bottle trees before too. They look really cool as well.

[@Girlytang]

Thank you so much for sharing this fascinating cultural and historical lesson!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@robinwebb2160]

Just came upon this video. Enjoyed it very much. I knew about hadn't blue, but not about the bottle trees. I've always liked the looks of them. Thanks for the info 😊

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@aprilrich807]

Fascinating stuff! Thank you so much.

[@DixieAfterDark]

My pleasure

[@RobSchellinger]

Just found this video. Thank you very much. I grew up in Mississippi and was aware of the Gullahs and Haint Blue but didn't know much about it other than it's supposed to ward off haints. I currently live in Indiana and deliver furniture. I have seen a few houses with it on the porch. In downtown Indianapolis, there's a neighborhood with modern old southern style townhomes. One customer there was Indian and didn't know the purpose of the Haint Blue ceiling on his porch. As far as bottle trees, I was unaware of that until I moved to Indiana. I do see a lot of those up here, especially in the rural areas. Thanks for the explanation. Glad I found your channel and look forward to seeing what you have.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you!!!

[@TheLadyWoreBlack73]

I painted my enclosed porch that I built onto my old house a haint blue. It was my favorite.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome!

[@auburnkim1989]

Yes, my porch ceilings are painted blue and always will be. There is a horseshoe over the front porch door that is not easily seen by others. I do not wash or sew on New Year's but I do eat peas and greens. I was passed thru a horses' harness as an infant and healed of both thrush and a wart by a folk doctor. We shoot mistletoe out of trees at Christmas. I have a degree in Anthropology but why take chances, lol? Plus, I love keeping the culture going!

[@DixieAfterDark]

ah, well done. I recognize many of those superstitions, and my family partake in most of those as well.

[@JohnDavies-cn3ro]

Fascinating little film. As a Limey, I knew nothing at all about the Gulla people, or indeed, the tradition of using blue paint. Over here we too have 'anti-witch' traditions, such as a horseshoe fastened above the door, or various odd - sometimes rather worrying and unpleasant things built into chimney breasts and similar places. (Remember that old film, "I Married a Witch"?)

[@DixieAfterDark]

I haven't seen that film. I need tonsee if I can find it somewhere.

[@teresahiggs4896]

I’m from East Tennessee, in the Appalachian mountains. This area had a large number of immigrants from England, Ireland and Scotland. So we have a lot of those customs. Or we did. Times change, even in the mountains . Lots of the people from your area, who knew mining came to this area to dig for coal in the mountains. Most folks that come from this area have ancestors who were coal miners. We also have our own Appalachian dialect and still use certain words that have been obsolete ( acording to Oxford English Dictionary) since the 1600’s and 1700’s in the rest of the English speaking world. Again, at least the older folk used to. The invention of the radio, the TV ( and more recently , all the damn tourists) in the area have diluted the dialect and not many people speak the same way or use the same vocabulary. But of you look on KZbin there are some channels ( usually have the world Appalachia in the title somewhere ) and they talk about the vocabulary, the dialect, the foods and the customs. If you are curious about this area. If you ever travel,this way, I recommend The Applachia Museum, in Norris Tennessee. My ancestor came from England in the late 1600’s , spent a few months in Pennsylvania, then moved to East Tennessee where we have remained ever since….so my roots go deep. I don’t live there but go back to visit family and I love that area. There’s nothing like it in the whole world.

[@eugeniamccarthy8]

Thank you! 💙🕊

[@DixieAfterDark]

You are so welcome

[@diannediamond8643]

I live in north east missouri, I heard about this tradition while visiting New Orleans. I painted my large front porch haint blue within weeks of moving in our 100 year old home. I also keep blue bottles in the window sill

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome!!

[@jessegreywolf]

I appreciated the history lesson and the context it brought to this

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you!!!

[@mirandajonte5930]

I LOVE that you posted about haint blue!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you!!!

[@sickofcrap8992]

I need to look for "Haint blue" paint up here in the North. It, in the pix, looks like a very pretty, relaxing color. I'd like to paint my front door that color. The porch roof is aluminum siding, so I don't think it would stick to that.

[@DixieAfterDark]

You should!

[@jared1870]

Thank you for teaching me about the Gullah culture and haint blue. Now, I wonder if you will do a video of the She-Devil of Union Grove. Keep up the good work.

[@DixieAfterDark]

I'll add it to the list. Thanks a ton

[@priscillagaskins297]

Would you do more stories about South Carolina?

[@DixieAfterDark]

South Carolina is definitely on my radar. Next week's is from the same area as this one too. If you have any requests, just let me know.

[@ozwomanid57]

Born and raised in Atlanta and Columbus GA, we had a gray blue called Confederate Blue. It kept the Union Solider Ghosts off our porches and out of our homes. 😊

[@DixieAfterDark]

Ah, cool. I'm only about 30 minutes outside of Columbus.

[@kellymoore8773]

Me too!​@@DixieAfterDark

[@katjo71367]

My Grandparents owned a paper and paint company in the 30's until the late 70's. They painted the porch Haint Blue to prevent wasps from building their nests.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Cool!!

[@Hopeful_Skeptic]

Grew up being told it was to keep insects away. Its cool to hear a superstition behind it. Kinda wonder which came first. Great topic and video .❤

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thanks for watching!

[@allisonshaw9341]

A lot of antique medicine bottles were also blue, though I doubt it was for spiritual reasons.

[@DixieAfterDark]

I've noticed that too.

[@karenroot450]

Just a tint like green or amber to protect the contents from light.

[@QueenofArgyle2525]

The cobalt color was instantly recognizable as a possibly poisonous substance and to be handled with care mostly for those who couldn’t read labels:)

[@CarolVandergriff]

Great story as always

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@huntlife]

Informative and useful. Enjoyed video.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Secretgardenvintageapartment]

Wow when my grandmama passed I got to take some of her glass it’s all blue. I love knowing this now. ❤ tysm❤

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome! Glad you enjoyed this one.

[@mnkycmnkydu]

Fascinating. Now I know why I like blue glass so much! HA.. but seriously.. Both of my grandmothers born around 1907, would speak of haints. One was Irish and lived in Kentucky.(and had a haint blue porch ceiling) . . one was German and lived in Southern Ohio. As do I currently. Haint blue porch ceilings are very common in this entire region. I am now (once again) inspired to paint my porch ceiling haint blue. I have a really great short dead tree in my front yard that would be perfect for some blue bottles.. but I'm afraid here they would be taken off the tree and used as grenades thru my windows. I am going to consolidate and make a grouping of some of my blue glass on a window sill. Some people live on in the strangest of ways.

[@DixieAfterDark]

I love how traditions stay alive.

[@molley5175]

Hey there Dixie! Now I really enjoyed this story I’m back home! I’m in tn and do happy! I’m never leaving the south again I’ll be waiting on more of these and enjoy them on my front porch

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you so much!

[@loritracy1385]

Thank you 😊

[@DixieAfterDark]

You're welcome 😊

[@applicationuser9764]

Apparently there are different versions of haint blue depending on where you live. I did a little studying on it myself and can't seem to find a consistent color from which to choose.

[@DixieAfterDark]

good to know. I'm sure the tints all vary as it spreads from that area.

[@lindacbenson4400]

I live in northern Connecticut and have seen many porch ceilings in the New England states painted a light blue. I was told it was to help you feel cooler in the hot summer months because it resembled a cool blue sky.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Wonder if that works? It definitely doesn't make you feel cooler in the south. Not much of anything does.

[@semigoth299]

Hey wait a minute, wasn’t there a movie about this community that Jon Voight starred in as a teacher that actually lived with them to teach them. I love that movie 🎥

[@DixieAfterDark]

Conrack, I think?

[@bindilove3899]

Born and raised in California, and I’ve never heard of this😲. I love it!

[@DixieAfterDark]

Awesome!! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@sharonmyers7016]

In Pennsylvania we also paint the ceilings of our porches "sky blue". It's a deterrent against bugs, mosquitoes and wasps. I never heard anything about warding off spirits except that for front doors painted red did that. Interesting story, thanks for sharing.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@gailgeer3101]

I lived on the islands off coast of Charleston SC as a child and remember this. We didn't say gola but gulla. There was a Gulla Island too.

[@DixieAfterDark]

Cool!!

[@mritzs5142]

Exceptional presentation like your voice soft relaxing and I learned some very important things

[@DixieAfterDark]

Thank you so much!!!!