(From Wikipedia)
The
Gullah are
African Americans who live in the
Lowcountry region of
South Carolina and
Georgia, which includes both the coastal plain and the
Sea Islands. Historically, the Gullah region once extended north to the
Cape Fear area on the coast of
North Carolina and south to the vicinity of
Jacksonville on the coast of
Florida; but today the Gullah area is confined to the South Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry. The Gullah people and their language are also called
Geechee, which some scholars speculate to be related to the
Ogeechee River near
Savannah, Georgia. The term
Geechee is an
emic term used by speakers (and can have a derogatory connotation depending on usage) and "Gullah" is a term that was generally used by outsiders but that has become a way for speakers to formally identify themselves and their language.
The Gullah are known for preserving more of their African linguistic and cultural heritage than any other African-American community in the United States. They speak an English-based
creole language containing many African
loanwords and significant influences from African languages in grammar and sentence structure. The
Gullah language is related to
Jamaican Creole,
Barbadian Dialect, and the
Krio language of
Sierra Leone in
West Africa. Gullah storytelling, cuisine, music, folk beliefs, crafts, farming and fishing traditions, all exhibit strong influences from West and Central African cultures.
President Bush signed the bill that created the Gullah-Geechee National Historical Corridor, and the unit is just now getting up to speed.
Having spent my Junior and Senior years in Beaufort, SC, which is usually considered one of the Centers of Geechee, I am very familiar with this rich culture. There are currently 13 locations where you can get a stamp for this Corridor.
Castillo de San Marcos NM, St Augustine, Florida. Date of visit: 11/6/2010
Ft. Caroline NM and Kingsley Plantation, Florida (Jacksonville Area) DOV 10/3/2010
Cumberland Island National Seashore, St Mary's Georgia
Ft. Fredericka NM St Simons Island Ga DOV 10/3/2010
