West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Mission Hospital And Revitalizing The Cherokee Language, Inside Appalachia

Published
Bill Lynch, Mason Adams, Kelley Libby, Abby Neff, Maria Young, Justin Hicks
Someone's hands holding a book in the Cherokee language and a sentence in English that reads, "Musuem of the Cherokee People."

Tatiana Potts and her students aim to make prints that reflect and celebrate the Cherokee community. The subject and text of the books are decided by a group of adult Cherokee language learners.

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A hospital in Western North Carolina was bought out. Residents say the quality of care has gone down.  

Also, an immersion school in North Carolina is trying to revitalize the Cherokee language with the help of a printmaking class.

And, a pair of artists follow cicada hatchings to make art from their shells.   

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Asheville, N.C.’s Mission Hospital In Controversy

An image of a hospital split in half with a illustration cutting through the middle. The image in the illustration reads, "Suite M" and sentences deceased individuals being released out of hospital custody.
Buncombe medical examiners shared their list of morgue concerns with Mission executives and the state’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) as far back as January 2021, according to emails obtained by Asheville Watchdog.

Photo by Starr Sariego; photo illustration by Andrew R. Jones

People in rural areas across the U.S. are struggling to access health care. Hospitals are closing at alarming rates. Some that stay open offer reduced services. Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina serves both the city and the surrounding counties. In recent years, it’s come under scrutiny and has been investigated by the federal government. Andrew Jones has been covering Mission Hospital for the Asheville Watchdog.

Jones spoke with Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams.

Immersion Academy Preserves Cherokee Language

The New Kituwah Academy is a Cherokee language immersion program, created to revitalize the language by teaching a new generation of speakers.

Photo Credit: Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder

In Western North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is working to preserve their language. To help revitalize their dialect, community leaders opened the New Kituwah Academy in 2005. It’s a language immersion school for elementary students. The school partnered with a printmaking instructor at Western Carolina University to create materials to help students learn.

For the Rural Remix podcast from the Center for Rural Strategies, Reporter Anya Petrone Slepyan has this story. 

Ski Resort Becomes Education Center For Elementary Schoolers

All second graders in Pocahontas County public schools learn to ski through a partnership with Nature’s Mountain Classroom.

Courtesy of Tracey Valach/Nature’s Mountain Classroom

West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort is one of Appalachia’s premier destinations for winter sports. But while tourists flock to the resort each year, it’s had problems attracting locals. Until a local woman came up with an idea for how to change that. 

WVPB’s Maria Young has more.

Turning Cicadas Into Art

In plastic soup containers, artist Diego Miró-Rivera collects thousands of cicada shells in Kentucky that will become part of artwork.

Photo Credit: Justin Hicks/Louisville Public Media

Across Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia, Brood XIV cicadas have emerged and covered the region in their loud drone. Although some folks are annoyed by cicadas, others find profound meaning.

Louisville Public Media’s Justin Hicks has more.

What To Do “If Lost”

Poet and poetry organizer, Clint Bowman, says the best way to read poetry in front of people is to read poetry in front of people.

Courtesy Photo

When North Carolina resident Clint Bowman couldn’t find the writing group he needed, he formed the Dark City Poets Society in Black Mountain. Bowman has used the group to develop his poetry, some of which explores people and their connection to nature.

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Bowman last fall about his collection, If Lost.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Hello June, John Inghram, John Blissard, Paul Loomis and Blue Dot Sessions.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

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Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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