Gullah Culture

The History and Traditions Behind Gullah Foodways

July 31, 2023

Gullah Geechee foodways is one of the oldest practices and traditions that’s still being practiced in America today. At its foundation, slavery and the foodways are deeply rooted in cultural West African ancestral ties, as well as adaptability, creativity and circumstance. The meals were and still are designed to be hearty and provide the necessary sustenance and strength to get one through an arduous and physical day.

The Lowcountry Story of Rice

June 24, 2023

By Luana M. Graves Sellars Enslaved women on a rice barge in Georgetown, SC Any story that tells of the rich history of the Lowcountry must include the Gullah Geechee

A Kitchen Table Conversation with Mother Emily Meggett | About Love and Caring One Plate at a Time

May 8, 2023

Being around Mother Emily Meggett is just like being at home, even though she has been honored by the City of Charleston, on countless TV interviews on CBS and other major mediums, but, through it all, she is just as gracious and generous with her time as any great grandmother would be.

Seeking | The Gullah Religious Tradition

August 31, 2022

Joining the church, at one time, was an ancestral African tradition called seeking.

The practice was based in the thought that since God and the ancestors communicated through dreams, the interpretation of the dream, represented achieving spirituality.

Finding Georgetown

March 10, 2022

Georgetown County is full of an incredibly rich Gullah Geechee history and cultural attractions that I was very excited about exploring to fill in the gaps to my story.

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, the holiday had year-long significance. The Christian belief and traditional focus of Christmas being founded

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.

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