Artist Studies How Florida `Crackers' Relate to Land

• Published in: The Ledger (Lakeland)
• Main Author: Foster, Susan
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lakeland, Fla Halifax Media Group 22.06.2004
• Subjects: Kahn, Julie; Tonyan, Rick
• ISSN: 0163-0288

"The genesis of our project is to show the connection to the land through the food chain and how this brings about a sense of place and community," [Julie Kahn] said. "Whenever I ask the question, `What does cracker mean to you?' the answer is always connected with land -- hunting, farming or ranching." "It is so large it makes a statement that I am not stealing shots," she said. "I want to engage in creating a story, not creating history." According to [Rick Tonyan], the first theory says cracker comes from a Celtic word meaning braggart or loudmouth. The second theory says the word comes from the practice of "corncracking" or grinding dried corn for use as grits and meal. Tonyan wrote that the third theory, and most popular one, says the name comes from the sound of whips used to drive cattle and oxen. Tonyan wrote that the whip cracker theory is popular in Central Florida, where cattlemen in particular identify themselves as crackers.