The haint blue porch ceiling of my grandparents' 19th-century home.
Splashes of sky blues are peeking out from porch ceilings all across the Southern United States. Those who’ve visited the region likely have seen this classic decor. Blue porch ceilings are vastly numerous – seemingly at least one or two can be found in any given neighborhood, and it’s not a new trend. My grandparents’ plantation-style house near D.C. (built in the 1860s) boasts a blue ceiling porch. Pale-to-medium atmospheric blues, sometimes tinged with hints of green or violet, make up this notorious range of hues dubbed “haint blue,” and it’s a staple of Southern architecture.
But where did it come from?
The story of haint blue is one that is deeply rooted in mythology and is still somewhat misunderstood. Even folklore experts can’t seem to agree on the tradition’s origins. One common theory is that its roots are in the Gullah/Geechee culture, an African American sub-group existing mainly in the South Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry. This group consists of descendants of an amalgamation of people brought over to America as slaves from western and central Africa, with a large concentration hailing from Sierra Leone. Gullah/Geechee beliefs are a combination of African witchcraft and practices adopted from white Christian slave owners.
In line with this theory, the tradition of painting porch ceilings – also doors, windows, even entire buildings – shades of blue came from the Gullah/Geechee belief in witches and “haints,” unfriendly ghosts in a state of unrest. The blue was believed to repel evil spirits and keep the building’s occupants safe while inside.
Some experts believe the tradition of painting ceilings blue came from early Scottish or Scandanavian beliefs, which also instilled a fear of ghosts with unfinished business. Still others believe the Southern tradition is a combination of Western European and African beliefs. It is important to note that blue ceilings are not isolated to the southern United States – they are found in many countries. But in the U.S., they are highly concentrated in the South.
Other perceived purposes have emerged for haint blue, including the common misconception that it will repel insects because they perceive it as sky or water, a theory which has been largely disproven. Experts believe bugs used to steer clear of things painted blue because early shades of haint paint contained lime, which repelled the critters.
These wasps were not deterred from building their nest on the haint blue ceiling of my grandparents' house.
Today, most blue ceilings and trim are just stylistic reflections of the once purpose-driven decor, but in the United States they remain distinctly Southern.
Tags: folklore, Georgia, haint blue, Lowcountry, South Carolina
I look forward to your interpretation of the southern experience. Also get Jack and Speedy to contribute. They often have a lot to say.
So far, their only input has been to meow and stare longingly at the door when I force them to go outside. All this vegetation is just so scary, you know?