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What is Gullah?
Gullah, pronounced GHULL-uh, has linguistic links to West Africa and to the English Caribbean, especially to Sierra Leone and Barbados. Today, "Gullah" or "Gullah/Geechee" refer to the total cultural continuity that flourishes in this section of the Southeast, including language patterns, culinary and medicinal customs, folkways, spiritual practices, and other traditions.
Geechee, pronounced GHEE-chee, has been used most often to describe African American natives of the NC-SC-GA-FL coastal area. At one time, to call someone a "Geechee" wasn't complimentary, and natives didn't want any association with the terms "Gullah" or "Geechee", they were considered a source of embarrassment and shame. Today, most natives and transplants are very conscious of this rich and unique aspect of Southern heritage and embrace it. To label oneself as a Gullah, a Geechee or a Gullah/Geechee is now a source of pride and honor, and is a celebration of culture - a culture that has distinguished itself from all the others in America's melting pot. Some
of the Gullah Words and Expressions Heard in Afua's
Story day clean - dawn e - he, she or it een duh fambly way - a female is pregnant gwine - going, is going or are going jus me one - me by myself or just me put she in she pocket - the act of one female selling another female and then pocketing the proceeds from the sale ting - thing A Few Gullah Culinary Traditions Hoe cake - a pan bread made out of a dough consisting of either corn meal or flour mixed with salt and water, and usually cooked in a greased iron skillet. The name comes from the tradition of cooking the bread on a greased hoe blade over an open fire. Sugar tea water - water sweetened with sugar. It was very common during the 20th century to drink beverages from a Mason, jam or jelly jar. Mason jars are used for canning and preserving. Perlo - a one-pot meal of rice with a vegetable and/or meat, traditionally seasoned with pork. Shrimp perlo, okra perlo and fish perlo are popular favorites. Rice was a major cash crop from the late 17th century until the Civil War, and it has continued to be a major Southern food staple. Swimp 'n grits - shrimp is simmered in a brown gravy that's usually seasoned with pork and served over grits. This dish can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Most Gullah/Geechees consider grits to be a must-have for breakfast and rice a must for dinner. A Look at Gullah Medicinal Traditions Spider webs have been used like bandages, to stop bleeding. Sassafras tea is boiled out of the plant's roots and is used as a tonic and as a cold remedy. Extract from the bark is commonly used in the food industry as a flavoring for food, soft drinks and toiletry products like mouthwash and toothpaste.
The stamp is a small piece of brown paper that is licked lightly and placed at the center of a baby's forehead to eliminate hiccups. Some Gullah Folkways and Beliefs
Some Gullah Spiritual Customs
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