Into esemhlabeni weNtlambo iMississippi, ithafa elinentaba-mlilo elisasazeka elunxwemeni lomlambo ohamba kancinci, kubonakala ngathi livelisa kungekuphela nje umqhaphu ophakamileyo kodwa kwanobuchule belifa. Ukulala kakuhle ngezantsi kwe-Mason-Dixon Line, le ndawo, inembali yayo yobunzima kunye nengxabano, ihambise amanye amaqhawe ethu amakhulu aseMelika. IiMedgar Evers. UWilliam Faulkner. Amanzi anodaka. Ngaba i-Mississippi Delta iya kufana ngaphandle kweXhego ngokwakhe? Eyona mifanekiso mihle yala manzi amileyo, sinememo kaMark Twain Ubomi kwi-Mississippi .

Ilifa lemveli lo Mzantsi weSouth libhiyozelwa apha ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo: umculo, ukutya, kunye noyilo, nokuba lolwe-antebellum okanye iphepha le-tar. Amajoyinti e-Juke, imithi yebhotile, kunye nemingxunya ye-barbecue zizimbonakaliso ezimbalwa zenkcubeko ezibonakalayo ecaleni kwendlela. Kodwa njenge ntombi yase Mzantsi, kuhambo lwam lweveki kwiMagnolia State, ndafumanisa ukuba isingqisho sommandla siqulathwe kwiidolophana ezintathu ezincinane — iClarksdale, iGreenwood, neOxford, yonke imalunga nemizuzu engama-90 xa uhamba ngemoto — xelela ibali leengcambu zeMississippi.

UClarksdale: Inkunzi yeBlues

UDuwayne Burnside wayesemlilweni. Nokuba umva wendlu e-Ground Zero Blues Club, apho umgqugquzeli wekonsathi uRoger Stolle kunye nam sasimi kufutshane neetafile zephuli, kwakunzima ukuqhubeka nencoko njengale gitare ikhohlakeleyo, unyana welizwe elidumileyo lenduli bluesman, wabhomboloza eqongeni.

Kutheni egameni lasezulwini lo mfo engenayo ikhontrakthi yokurekhoda? Ndikhwaze.

Sasibona umzobi ngexa elidlulileyo ngokungalinganiyo ngequbuliso efumana indawo yakhe. Mhlawumbi kuye kwamnceda umphathiswa wakhe kunye namalungu ebandla lakhe ukuba beme ngaphambili. Ubiwe ngamahlombe, emva koko watsala i-Lazy Magnolia yebhiya ende. Mhlawumbi ndiza kumbhalela iJuke Joint Festival, utshilo.

Iidolophu ezinkulu eMzantsi - iMemphis, iAustin, iNew Orleans- zibeke iingoma zomculo, kodwa ibhlokhi, iClarksdale encinci ibabetha izandla. Ukusuka kuxinzelelo kuqhubeke, le dolophu yaseMississippi Delta ibe yintliziyo yentliziyo eblues. Iindlela ezinqamlezileyo zoohola bendlela 61 no-49 kulapho ibluesman uRobert Johnson ekucingelwa ukuba wathengisa umphefumlo wakhe kuSathana. UBessie Smith uphefumle okokugqibela kwindawo ekuyiRiverside Hotel ngoku. U-Ike Turner wayengunyana wendalo. I-Parchman Farm ekufuphi, indawo yokuvalelwa yamapolisa engathandabuzekiyo, kufanelekile ukuba ikhankanywe ngokungenantlonelo ngomsebenzi wayo weqela lemigulukudu kunye nezithethe zentsimi. (Utata ka-Elvis Presley wakhonza apho.) I-Red's Lounge, kwi-Sunflower Avenue, ihlala ingomnye wamalungu okugqibela e-juke, apho iimvumi zesikolo esidala ezifana no-Robert Belfour zidlala phantse busuku ngabunye njengoko umnini u-Red Paden ejika iingcebiso zobambo kumngxuma wakhe wokutshaya. ngaphandle komnyango wangaphambili.

Ekuqaleni wayevela eOhio, uStolle wayeka umsebenzi wakhe kwintengiso ngaphezulu kweminyaka eli-10 eyadlulayo ukuvelisa amaxwebhu kwisandi seDelta. Saba ngabahlobo emva kokuba ndibone ifilimu yakhe ye-2008 M ye-Mississippi: A Uhambo lwendlela Ngendawo yokuzalwa yeeBlues . . Emva kweseti kaBurnside, ndamcenga ukuba aphathe ii-CDs ezintlanu zokuqokelelwa kwakhe kwaye ndimthembise ukumisa ngokuzithatha.

Ukuzula ezantsi edolophini iClarksdale akuthathi xesha lide. Ukusuka ehotele yam, iiLofts ezintlanu kunye neDime, kukuhamba ngokukhawuleza kwikona kwivenkile yakwaStolle; endleleni ndadlula kwindawo yokucheba iinwele zakudala, iiblues zememorabilia, kunye neVenkile kaNkosazana kaDel's, egcwele yonke into ukusuka kumgubo wombona weGrit Girl ukuya kumbumbulu. Intloko yekati ikwiDelta Avenue ejongene nomyuziyam werediyo yeWROX, eneempawu zayo zembali zeMississippi Blues Trail. Ndikhuphe iibhokisi ze-vinyl entsha de uStolle ahlukane nomnxeba aze andinike isitokhwe sokurekhodwa okunomda, kubandakanya imikhondo kwincwadi yakhe entsha, Sijika apha. Ndabuza ukuba unayo nantoni na eyenziwa nguBurnside.

Usike iiCD's ezimbalwa, kwaye aziprinteki, uSololle waxolisa.

Oh Kulungile. Cinga nje ukuba ubekhona.

IGreenwood: Ukutya okuhle

Ngexesha lenkonzo yasemini kwiCrystal Grill, umgcini weweyitala wema ukuze aphakamise iti yam emnandi. Uxolo, mama, wathi, ufuna esinye isilayi saloo pie?

Ndijonge phantsi iintsalela zebhokisi yam yelam, ndibhaka ekhitshini ngaloo ntsasa, ndonqena ndinqikaza intloko. Ngenye iyure kuye kwafuneka ndiye kwiklasi yokupheka kwaye sele ndikulungele ukugqabhuka, ngamazwi kaNana wam.

Indawo yakudala enexesha lesidlo sasemini, iCrystal Grill igxile kokutya okufana nezibindi zenkukhu eqhotsiweyo kunye neembotyi zelima kunye neerandi. Kodwa iintsuku apho ukutya kwaseMazantsi kungadweliswa ngokulula sisimaphambili esinamafutha kwenziwa kwaye kudlule. Amaza alandelayo abasebenzi bamanye amazwe bazise iSicilian pasta yegrisi, i-Lebanese kibbeh, isiVietnam pho, kunye neetamales zaseMexico zommandla. IGreenwood iyodwa inoluhlu ezisixhenxe kwiMississippi Delta Hot Tamale Trail.

Idolophu ikwalikhaya kwiViking Range Corporation. Ikontraktha yokwakha yasekuhlaleni uFred Carl waqala wahlengahlengisa uluhlu lwezorhwebo ukuze lusetyenziselwe ukuhlala emva phaya kwiminyaka yoo-1980; ngoku izakhiwo zezindlu zeshishini lesatellite ezixhaswa ngemali sisixhobo esikhulu, kubandakanya neAlluvian Hotel, apho bendihlala khona; Ivenkile yokutyela yaseGiardina; kunye neViking Cooking School, ebamba iiklasi zeveki nganye. Omnye umboniso odumileyo usekelwe kwizitya ezivela kuKathryn Stockett's Uncedo. (Ulandelelwano oluphambili lwenguqulelo bhanyabhanya yashicilelwa kufutshane naseGreenwood.) Emva kwesidlo sam sasemini, ndahamba ndaya kwigumbi lokufundela elinelanga njengeweyitala egalela iiglasi zewayini emhlophe kwisifundo seresiphi yomnyhadala.

Abantu bendawo ababehleli emva kwam babezonwabele kakhulu, benganikeli ngqalelo ikakhulu kwi-artichoke-and-crab dip ebekwa kwisitovu phezulu ngaphambili. Kamva ngobo busuku, njengoko ubumnandi buhamba bungaphaya kwesitrato besiya eGiardina, ababekhona eklasini u-Ashley kunye noStephen Big Sexy Farmer bandimemela kwindawo yabo yokutyela yabucala, isithethe esithethileyo esasisele kwiintsuku zokuThintela zokutyela. IGreenwood yidolophu enkulu yokusela, umpheki onesidlakudla uLee Leflore utshilo, esahlula amakhethini omnquba ukuze ahambise isitya seembatyisi ezibhakiweyo ezifakwe ibhakoni yeBezon. Ungangxola kwaye wenze apha.

Ezolimo zeDelta, njengoko zisenzeka, ayisiyiyo nje kuphela ngomqhaphu. Njengokuba kuchaziwe ngu-Leflore, le yindawo ekhulisa umbona, kwaye iifama ezikumathafa abanzi ajikeleze iGreenwood zikhulisa iitumato, ii-ertyisi zentsimi, ii-eggplants, kunye nepepile ekhitshini lakhe. Emva kokuthweswa isidanga kwiDyunivesithi yaseMississippi, uLeflore waqeqeshwa kwiZiko laseCulinary laseMelika, eNapa Valley eCalifornia, wasebenzela iEmeril Lagasse eNew Orleans. Kodwa eyaseGiardina, apho wayepheka khona kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo, waqhayisa. Ndikhumbula kakhulu, wavuma uLeflore. IGreenwood ikutsala nje ubuye umva. Ndiyalele isonka sakhe esineesonka saseMississippi esineesosi kunye nesosi ebuyayo, indawo eyahlukileyo kwisiCreole rémoulade. UStephen Farmer wandigalelela iglasi ye-champagne kwaye wandicenga ukuba ndimjoyine kunye nenkosikazi yakhe kukhenketho lweendawo Uncedo Umhala olandelayo.

Ufumene njani igama lakho lesiqhulo? Ndimbuzile.

Bendihlala ndimkhulu kakhulu ngaphambi kokuya kukutya, watsho, eqhwanyaza njengoko wayephonsa itamale ekhutshiweyo kwisitya sam. Kodwa ndisekhona nje.

I-Oxford: Yiba ngu-Miss Spirit

Yintoni i-Hotty Toddy? Ngesizathu esithile, bendicinga ukuba kufuneka ibe yindawo yokutya, kuba uninzi lwabantu base Mzantsi endibaziyo bayasithanda isiselo esinxilisayo. U-Annie no-Brittany Zeleskey, isibini sodade abaqhuba ibhedi nesidlo sakusasa esimnandi kufutshane nombindi wedolophu ebizwa ngokuba yi Z, bandijonga baqala bagigitheka.

Awukhe uyibukele ibhola? waphendula uAnnie. Kukuchwayita kwesikolo sethu.

Ngokobuchwephesha, iOxford ikummandla weentaba waseMississippi, hayi eDelta. Umculo une-twang ethe kratya kuwo, kwaye ukutya (enkosi kumpheki uJohn Currence weSixeko sokutya) kucokisiwe kancinci, kodwa le dolophu yasekholejini iyeyona ndawo ibalulekileyo yokugcina amasiko anzulu eMzantsi. IYunivesithi yaseMississippi, okanye u-Ole Miss, yayiyindawo ephambili yokulwa ubandlululo ngexesha lokuhamba kwamalungelo oluntu e1960 kwaye ngoku likhaya kwiziko lokuFunda ngeNkcubeko yaseZantsi (CSSC), ebhala iingongoma zommandla wengingqi, ngokudityaniswa kobuhlanga ukuya kwimidlalo yaseburhulumenteni. . Ikwayimeko yamaqela aseMelika acacisa ngakumbi. Oodade baseZeleskey, omabini amabakala asandula ukwenziwa, baqhuba umgca okhawulezileyo njengabadlali abaphambili; abalandeli batyibilikise imali eninzi ukuze babeke izindlu nomhlaba eGrove, ingca eyikhampasi yeektare ezili-10 apho iintente zivela khona ngomhla womdlalo ogqityiweyo ngeetafile zebuffet ezincwinayo, imivalo epheleleyo, kunye nomabonakude osicaba.

AbakwaZeleskeys bakhulele eTexas kodwa bagqiba kwelokuba babambelele emva kokuthweswa isidanga ukulawula igumbi lokulala elinamagumbi amathathu abathengwe ngabazali babo bawahlaziya ukuze babenendawo yokuhlala ngexesha legridiron. Ukusukela ukuba iiRebels bezingadlali kutyelelo lwam, iindwendwe zam zandiqhubela endaweni yesikwere sedolophu, ziboshwe ngamacala amane ziindawo zekofu, imivalo, kunye neevenkile ezinesitokhwe sohlobo lwempahla yeOle Miss eqinisekisiweyo yokwenza nayiphi na indlovukazi eyayisandul 'ukufika. Kwavela ukuba oodade nabo babengabalandeli bakaDuwayne Burnside, imvumi endandiyiva eClarksdale. Udlala iiklabhu apha ngoku, utshilo uBrithtany.

Ukusasazeka kwengqondo ngokwaseyunivesithi kubonakala kuyo yonke indawo eluntwini. Iifilimu, uthotho lwezifundo, kunye neesimposia ezibhalwe yi-CSSC zitsalela izihlwele ezahlukileyo zabafundi kunye nabathandi. Ingqungquthela yonyaka yokuwa kwe-Southern Foodways Alliance ithengisa ngemizuzu, mhlawumbi ngenxa yokuba izixa ezikhulu zebourbon kunye nebhekoni ziyabandakanyeka. Inkqubo ye- Irediyo yeNtaba yeThaker bonisa usasazo ngqo kwisikwere veki nganye. Iqela leRock iBlack Keys-iilebheli zayo, iFat Possum Record, esekwe apha-ijika gigs eLyric. R. L. Burnside, utata kaDuwayne, wayengomnye wabazobi bokuqala bakaFat Possum.

Kwisidlo sakusasa sam sokugqibela, abakwaZeleskeys babhaka ii-biscuits zeshizi ze-cheddar kwaye baziphaka kum xa ndihleli ku-swing kwiveranda yabo yangaphambili. Kulapho ndaqaphela khona ukuba umntu obhiyozelayo ebusuku ebeshiye ikomityi ye-Ole Miss esiqwini semoto yam.

Ndiyigcinile.

UShane Mitchell ngumbhaleli okhethekileyo we-T + L.

UClarksdale

Hlala

IiLifti ezintlanu nakwiDime Iiyunithi ezintandathu ezinomtsalane kwigumbi elinye lokulala ngaphezulu kwevenkile eguqulweyo. 211 Yazoo Ave .; elephants.com . $

Yitya

I-oxbow Umpheki owazalwa nguClarksdale uHayden Hall wenza i-burger, i-tacos, kunye ne-chocolate-chip-banana pudding. 115 Okwesithathu iSt .; 662 / 627-6781. $

Yenza

Iklabhu yeZero Blues ephantsi Umculo obukhoma ngoLwesithathu ukuya ngoMgqibelo kunye nomoya oqinisekileyo. I-387 Delta Ave .; ziba.software .

I-Red's Lounge Amava aluhlaza okwenyani edolophini. 395 ujongilanga Ave .; 662 / 624-5992.

Ivenkile

ICat Head Delta Blues kunye neFolk Art I-252 Delta Ave.; kahotel.biz .

IGreenwood

Hlala

Alluvian Ihotele Amagumbi eendwendwe akhazimlisiweyo kunye nesidlo sakusasa esincomekayo. 318 uHoward St .; elkulu.com . $

Yitya

I-Crystal Grill 423 ICarrollton Ave.; 662 / 453-6530. $

YeGiardina 314 uHoward St .; 662 / 455-4227. $$

Yenza

Isikolo sokupheka iViking 325C Howard St .; Ngowama-866 / 451-6750.

IOxford

Hlala

I-Z Ngo-1405 uPierce Ave .; lumkando.com . $

Yitya

Ukutya kweSixeko Imenyu yonyaka esema ngumpheki uJohn Currence. Isikwere senkundla i-152; dangco.com . $$

Ivenkile

Iincwadi eziziikwere Amahlelo okuqala asayiniweyo kunye nokufundwa kombhali. Isikwere senkundla i-160; square square.com .

I-Tin Pan Alley Art kunye neeAntique Ukukhetha okutsalayo kwempahla esemaZantsi naseYurophu. Umgaqo weNdawo yeDolophu, iTaylor; 662 / 281-1970.

Iihotele

$ Ngaphantsi kwama- $ 200
$$ $ 200 ukuya kuma-350 eedola
$$$ $ 350 ukuya kuma-500 eedola
$$$$ $ 500 ukuya kwi- $ 1,000
$$$$$ Ngaphezulu kwe- $ 1,000

Iindawo zokutyela

$ Ngaphantsi kwama- $ 25
$$ $ 25 ukuya kwi-75
$$$ $ 75 ukuya kwi-150
$$$$ Ngaphezulu kwe- $ 150

IAlluvian

Isikolo sokupheka iViking

Iiklasi zifundiswa ngabapheki beenkwenkwezi njengoSusan Spicer weBayona Restaurant.

Iincwadi eziziikwere

Ekwindla ngeMigqibelo xa iVaught-Hemingway Stadium igcwele ngabantu abangama-65,000, kunganzima ukudibanisa iOxford nantoni na ngaphandle kwebhola. Kodwa kwindawo ebizwa ngokuba sisixeko saseNgilani esineengcungela, ukubuyela emaphepheni kuya phambili ngaphezulu kwekota, ngakumbi kwi-Square Books. Amashumi amawaka eevolumu zayo zibandakanya iikopi zemisebenzi ebhalwe ngababhali basemazantsi abanjengoEudora Welty.

Ukutya kweSixeko

Yenza umthetho kumnumzana osemazantsi kwivaranda ephezulu kwiSixeko iGrocery ngoku-odola 'uMntla nje weSouth' bourbon mojito.