Did you know that the Gullah culture has strong African influences?
This unique culture developed on the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. The Gullah people’s distinctive language and traditions are part of their past. In fact, Gullah is actually a creole language that combines elements of English and African languages. Many of these traditions have their roots in Africa.
African influence can be seen in Gullah cuisine.
- Gullah dishes, such as rice and okra soup and hoppin’ john (a dish made with rice and black-eyed peas), have roots in West African cooking traditions.
- Gullah rice dishes called “red rice” and “okra soup” are similar to West African “jollof rice” and “okra soup” and hog maws. Jollof rice is a traditional style of rice preparation, brought by the Wolof people of West Africa.
- The Gullah version of “gumbo” has its roots in African cooking. “Gumbo” is derived from a word in the Umbundu language of Angola, meaning okra, one of the dish’s main ingredients.
The Gullah people have also maintained many West and Central African traditions through their storytelling, music, and art.
- Gullah stories often feature animals as main characters, a tradition that originated in West Africa. Gullah stories about “Br’er Rabbit” are similar to West and Central African trickster tales about the figures of the clever and conniving rabbit, spider, and tortoise.
- Their music combines elements of African and European styles, creating a unique sound. Spirituals, shouts, and other Gullah musical forms employ the “call and response” method commonly used in African music.
- Gullah art features bright colors and bold designs, influenced by West African textile patterns.
African influences on the Gullah culture’s rituals and beliefs:
- Gullah beliefs about “hags” and “haunts” are similar to African beliefs about malevolent ancestors, witches, and “devils” (forest spirits).
Gullah “root doctors” protect their clients against dangerous spiritual forces by using ritual objects similar to those employed by African traditional healers. - Gullah people recognize “ hoodoo” or “root work,” to communicate with these spirits. These beliefs and practices have origins in West Africa.
- Gullah people also use a variety of herbs for medicinal purposes, a practice known as “granny medicine,” which also has African origins.
- The Gullah “seekin” ritual is similar to coming of age ceremonies in West African secret societies, such as the Poro and Sande.
- The Gullah ring shout is similar to ecstatic religious rituals performed in West and Central Africa.
African Influences on Gullah Tools and Fabrication:
- Gullah “sweetgrass baskets” are coil straw baskets, made by the descendants of enslaved peoples in the South Carolina Lowcountry. They are nearly identical to traditional coil baskets made by the Wolof people in Senegal.
- Gullah “strip quilts” mimic the design of cloth woven with the traditional strip loom used throughout West Africa. Kente cloth from the Ashanti and the Ewe peoples, as well as Akwete cloth from the Igbo people are woven on the strip loom.
- Gullah rice farmers once made and used mortar and pestles and winnowing fanners similar in style to tools used by West African rice farmers.
Gullah culture has been present in this area for centuries.
There are many interesting aspects of Gullah culture. But one of the most fascinating is the way it has preserved African traditions and customs. We invite you to learn more during your visit to Daufuskie or while on Hilton Head at the Gullah Heritage Trail Tours.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullah.