About

A Kinlaw Family Poem

What It Means to Be Southern

By: Taylor Kinlaw

In my opinion, being Southern has many different meanings. To me, being from the south means to live in a community where everyone is your neighbor and you always have a helping hand whenever times are hard. In the south we go to church, have good manners, and we love to drink sweet tea. We go hunting, we listen to country music, and we always mind our manners. 

Southern culture is not about the way a person dresses or the way they walk, it is a way of life. 

An important part of living in the south is the Southern culture. Although it is a part of the United States, the south has many customs and tendencies that make it stand out from the rest of the country. From their music to their manners, Southerners tend to have different ideas than the rest of the people in the world. Southerners are known for having good manners. The people in the south typically are respectful and are known to say “yes ma’am” and “no ma’am” whenever they are speaking to their elders. 

Manners are one of the big generalizations about Southerners and whenever someone is portrayed as being Southern in movies, this is one of the first things you will notice. Country music is also an important part of Southern culture; it even has its own genre that is popular all over the world. Country music has lyrics that describe Southern culture to a T.

One of the biggest stereotypes about living in the south is the food. People often refer to common Southern foods as “soul food” because they are not what would be considered a healthy meal but are so comforting whenever you eat them. In the south, food is a part of every occasion from church to football games. Some of the most common Southern foods are fried chicken, collards, mashed potatoes, and of course…gravy. The food is a huge part of Southern culture because it is used to bring people together. No matter what problems are going on, a good meal with good friends can always make things better. 

I consider myself to be a Southerner. I was born and raised in North Carolina and it is my home. I love the Southern culture and the ideology that surrounds the south. I believe in good food, spending time with my family, and in always lending a helping hand. The reason I consider myself to be a Southerner is because I was raised that way, and the south is my home. I respect the Southern culture and love the way that I have grown up and the way that I have been raised. I have traveled many places and seen many things, but always want to come back home to North Carolina. 

No matter where in the world I may travel or see, a Southerner I’ll always be.