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Hoosiers
retold by
S. E. Schlosser

There's an ongoing debate here in the great state of Indiana over the origins of the word "Hoosiers". My Granddad, he falls into the first camp, and me, I fall into the second.

My Granddad says Indiana folk are called Hoosiers because folks in Indiana are so curious they are always popping here and there, poking their heads into every door they see, and calling "Who's here?".

Me, I think we are called Hoosiers because of the hushers. That's what they used to call the town bully, because he could hush his opponent. Since we Indiana folk are so big and strong, we get called "hushers" or "hooshers" as our neighbors in Louisiana like to say.

I don't know if we will ever reconcile the two sides to each other. But anyhow, Indiana folk are called Hoosiers, right enough. And we're proud of it, too!

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© S.E. Schlosser 1997 - 2008.

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