We talk about culture, we say we embrace it but if being different creates issues how is accepting the unknown even possible. The world was introduced to the exploring Africans prior to slavery or even the Mayflower. In fact, in the early 1460's, Sir Henry of France acquired African ship building techniques designs and sailing instruction before he constructed larger cargo and faster moving ship, with the intentions of transportation of the Slave cargo during the Middle passage. These ships were the ships that were used to spread the Gullah around the world. Some people question the truth of the Gullah people of the American Sea Island.When we learn about the Gullah of the Sea Island, most of what we learn is limited due to the fact that the information is limited to the public. Does this means that the people involve are incapable of retaining their own history or do the people who want to know more don't know who to get the information. The cultural is a oral cultural so the Oral Historians have most of the culture. In the past the Europeans called them "silly story", but the Africans knew these were "Jelle", "Griot, Storyteller" tales told like the ancestors homeland of Sierra Leone. These stories were tall tales mainly morally based that required much acting out and pantomime for entertainment. http://thegullahstoryteller.com/Welcome.html
As we explore the travels of the middle passage slave trade, we understand the travels take us from the mother continent, Africa, to the sister continent, South America, Cuba, West Indies, Haiti, Barbados, Bahamas, Louisiana, Alabama and of course the Gullah concentrated States; Fla, GA, NC, SC. These areas have a common linguistic connection with the West African regions. In the world of the Gullah Elders, we call this Medu Neter, translated as Mother Nature. However in the African culture, nothing is not one levels because the culture is based on levels. As we learn the depths of the Gullah Geechee culture, we will understand that if the language has geographic connection so does everything else; food, music, celebrations, spirituality, historical and family. Before the adjustment to the harsh conditions of living in the America, the Gullah-Geechee people thrived well with an abundance of skills in various backgrounds as seen in the inventions
and contributions from the Gullah to the Lowcountry. As we explore the travels of the Gullah people, we can see similar contributions in various areas. We can document back to 10,000 BCE to find out the African skills and knowledge brought to America and Europeans world were many. Here in the Lowcountry, we see an a lot of culinary contributions from the Gullah- Geechee people. The lowcountry is a common word used to describe the uniqueness of the culture in this area, but it is really referring to the Gullah-Geechee culture. The most popular finds are shrimp and grits, Frogmore stew(original recipe has actual frogs), Barbeque all these lovely dishes have been altered to be called lowcountry, but originally developed by the hands of the Gullah-Geechee.
