The spirited true Gullah experience is what I was searching for on my quest through Gullah country during the Christmas holidays. I was in South Carolina visiting family and could not pass the chance to learn more about the storied people. I drove south in search of southern hospitality...Gullah style.
During the stroll through the Old City Market, I felt the presence of ancestor's spirits from long ago. This is where many had been introduced to the New World and sold as slaves. One thing remained...the art of Sweetgrass basket weaving which was handed down from generation to generation since the slave era. I stop at the first vendor selling baskets and he gives me an in-depth history of his basket weaving business. Profiled in many reputable publications, The Basket Case shares with me the value of his baskets. "Do you know who buys most of these baskets? White people because they know value," he emphasizes. We purchase a $20 basket with plans to purchase more later. The Basket Case was an interesting fellow and I loved his energy. "These baskets will increase in value every year." I believe him though there is no price you can put on history and fine craftsmanship. As the sun reclined lazily along the horizon, I continued my journey. Next stop, food.
In the midst of a lively bar conversation at the Gullah Cuisine Restaurant in Mount Pleasant, SC, my father urges Willie to give us a taste of Gullah talk. "I cuss him ev'ting in da book," Willie continues his old Gullah folktale. The story is about slave life along the South Carolina coast but the energy of the Gullah spirit is very much alive. I was hungry for more authentic Gullah so my father encouraged the bartender to speak a little Gullah. "I don't speak Gullah. I'm from the city." Interesting.
I asked Charlotte, the co-owner of Gullah Cuisine, (or Mrs. Charlotte as I respectfully called her) about the menu. The Gullah entrees seemed very similar to Creole dishes. She explained that many slaves from West Africa were sold to areas such as the Caribbean, Louisiana, and South Carolina. That explained the similarity in dishes and culture. I would have plenty of time to dive into more dishes once Mrs. Charlotte's cookbook is published in March 2010.
As the libations poured and stories of days past ensued, I knew that I had found what I was looking for in Gullah country. As my husband and I said goodbye, I promised to be back real soon. I promised myself that I would tell the world about my experience that day. This is our history. American history.
For more information about the Gullah people, visit the following sites:
http://www.sweetgrassfestival.org/
http://www.gullahcuisine.com/
Did you know...
- African slaves were sold in South Carolina to harvest rice crops. These slaves had knowledge of rice harvesting from their native Sierra Leone
- The Gullah slaves in coastal South Carolina and Georgia lived in a very different situation from that of slaves in other North American colonies. The Gullahs had little contact with whites. They experienced a largely isolated community life on the rice plantations, and their isolation and numerical strength enabled them to preserve a great many African cultural traditions.
- Many Gullahs migrated to New York starting at the beginning of the 20th century, and these urban migrants have not lost their identity.
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