By Luana M. Graves Sellars
The history of rice in America and the important part that the Gullah community played in rice becoming one of the most important cash crops in the South was a fluke. Rice has its origins dating as far back as 2,800 BC in China, and ultimately spreading through Asia and Europe. How rice finally arrived in the US, was entirely by accident. The story has been told, that in 1685, a massive storm struck far out in the Atlantic Ocean. After the storm, the ocean current sent a wind battered and beaten ship sailing from Madagascar that was able to find its way into the Charleston Harbor. The ship’s captain received not only generous hospitality, but repairs to his ship from the colonists. In return for their kindness, the captain repaid the colonists with a gift of “Golden Seed Rice”, (which gets its name from its rich golden color.) one of the state’s prime crops and source of revenue in the 1700’s.
The gift of rice to South Carolina was pivotal in several different ways. Slavery brought African people to Hilton Head who were from several West African countries. Their descendants were known as Gullah. The Gullah brought a variety of skills with them; they were skilled at farming a variety of crops, especially rice. Their skill in cultivating rice helped make rice an important part of South Carolina’s economy. Therefore, the Gullah people played an important role in making rice one of the state’s prime crops and revenue sources of in the 1700’s, as well as one of the most important agricultural and economic crops in American history.
For more information on the rice and the Gullah cuisine click here
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