Gullah Culture

Changing Perspectives | Written In Stone – Part One

January 10, 2022

This trip, however, unexpectedly and drastically has changed my perspective completely. So, imagine my mind blowing moment that I discovered that one of the most treasured aspects of the cities that I have enjoyed all of my life, had been quietly telling me the story behind its every foundations; of its development; its origins in being a water front port, and in the case of Savannah and Charleston, its clearly defined roll in the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade.

Changing Perspectives | Markings Left Behind – Part 2

January 10, 2022

Remnants of captivity aren’t hard to find. One thing that the Atlantic Slave Trade demonstrated was that it was founded on economics and strategic captures. The enslaved were targeted and captured because they were highly skilled. Whether they were Mende rice farmers for the Lowcountry along the sea islands, who could engineer the intricate trunks that diked the waters or Ashanti builders for Savannah that knew construction, iron work or brick making, reminders of their incredible talents are not hard to find.

Changing Perspectives | Following in the Footsteps of My Ancestors – Part 3

January 10, 2022

Yes, my perspectives on a lot of things have changed. How I see the world and my experiences within it are forever going to be different. As they should be. To see and understand what people have gone through, over time, enslaved or otherwise is part of the human experience. No one should walk away unchanged.

A Gullah Christmas

December 3, 2021

By Luana M. Graves Sellars Christmas is a world-wide tradition, yet in the Gullah community,

Cooking the Gullah Way with Chef David

November 17, 2021

comfort food, it’s easy to do and is an impressive experience. Chef David is a Native Islander whose family roots come from one of the oldest families on the island, dating back over 185 years. Raised by his great-grandmother in Spanish Wells, she wanted to make sure that he would be prepared to take care of himself after she passed on. She gave him all of the skills that he needed; from growing his own vegetables to canning, especially how to cook. Looking back to his childhood, his favorite time was eating at his great-grandmother’s table. “Cooking takes me back to my upbringing and the love that was put into her food,” he says.

Gullah Kindness | It’s Not Random

October 30, 2021

The true mark of kindness and humility is found in someone who doesn’t even recognize the impact that they have on the people around them. That’s how Betty Days has always lived her life. Raised in the Gullah culture as part of a community that when one has, all has, for Betty, the act of doing for one another just comes naturally.

Gullah Bottle Trees

July 30, 2021

By Luana M. Graves Sellars Yard after yard, in the front of Gullah homes, variations

What is Haint Blue?

July 15, 2021

Sometimes called robins egg blue or carolina blue, haint blue is more than just a popular Lowcountry color. Used on porch ceilings or a home’s front entrance, haint blue is rooted in Gullah tradition and represents a deeper spiritual meaning.

Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park | What’s the Master Plan?

June 29, 2021

“We believe that Mitchelville is a once in a lifetime story,” adds Ahmad. It’s a place “where African Americans had the opportunity to become citizens and create institutions that continue to exist today,” such as compulsory education “which was a priority.”Names like Harriet Tubman, Clara Barton, Robert Smalls, Secretary of War, Simon Cameron and Abolitionist, William Lloyd Garrison all spent time in Mitchelville. “Folks don’t know who was here and the type of VIP’s who came to Hilton Head.”

Juneteenth | The Birth Of Freedom

June 10, 2021

As important as the 4th is, June 19th, otherwise known as Juneteenth, is Black Independence Day; the day that the last enslaved people of Texas finally received word that they were free.
Recognized as the longest continuous holiday in the US, join in an exciting journey though the origins of Juneteenth and the Birth of Freedom from 1865 to where we are today.

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