Life on the coast: A glimpse at Gullah culture

By: Alyson Shields

Tools used to make seine nets used for fishing along the shore. A tradition connecting Sapelo to West African culture.

Along the low country coast lives a culture all it’s own. The Gullahs, or Geechees, are descendants of freed West African slaves who have retained parts of their native culture.

In Georgia, this culture is called Geechee, while in South Carolina it is called Gullah. Historians speculate that the term “Gullah” comes from Gola, which is a tribe found in West Africa, near the border of Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The Gullah/Geechees have retained a unique blend of their native language, combining African dialects and early English, although modern English is spoken as well. The Gullah language is phonetically similar to Krio, a language spoken in Sierra Leone.

They have also kept many of their unique traditions, such as weaving sweetgrass baskets,  quilting and making seine fish nets.

While the culture is somewhat dwindling, as the older generations die out and the younger generations become smaller, the Gullah/Geechee culture is still thriving, even in small numbers.

Kansas City Chiefs lineman Allen Bailey hails from Sapelo Island, drawing attention to the island and the Geechees there. His family has resided in Hog Hammock, a community on the island, for generations. He is related to a little more than half of the community.

The beautiful barrier islands of the southeastern coast attract quite a bit of attention, and the serene landscapes that are home to the Gullahs/Geechees are often sold and turned into resorts.

The surging popularity of the beach properties and resorts actually hurt the people who live there – the rocketing property rates drive them out. The people are not wealthy, and the need to cash in and move out is high and becomes attractive to some.

Some areas are left alone. Out of the public eye, the towns stay the same, with the Gullahs and Geechees and a few visitors. There is typically little work in the places that have been undisturbed, and the people often have to head to the mainland for work.

Sapelo Island is one of these fairly remote islands, with 97% of the island being owned by the state of Georgia. The other 3% is preserved by the Geechees.

The Gullah/Geechee culture is mysterious to outsiders, but we must remember that they are people just like us, with their own family traditions and customs from home.

Beverly John, a sociologist and executive assistant to the president at Chicago State University said it best when he spoke to the Chicago Tribune. “People often say, ‘show me the Gullah culture.’ But the culture comes from within. It isn’t openly practiced. Therefore, the Gullah culture will survive.”