Gullah Geechee

This morning’s Guardian features a story about Sunn m’Cheaux and Akua Page, who advocate for the Gullah language and culture.

On January 5th, 2024, WLBOTT had an opportunity to introduce our viewers to the Gullah culture through its culinary creation of Hoppin’ John.

Let’s explore a little more….

**Gullah Geechee** Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission

The Guardian Article

Today’s Guardian article describes the Gullah Geechee, with a special emphasis on preserving the unique language.

A type of American creole, the language [Gullah] was formed by enslaved Africans who lived on islands along the country’s south-east coast. Because they were isolated from the rest of the region, they were able to create a unique dialect and culture. According to the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission, Gullah began as a “form of communication among people who spoke many different languages, including European slave traders, slave owners and diverse, African ethnic groups”.
The Guardian

The article follows two advocates for the Gullah language: Akua Page and Sunn m’Cheaux.

Akua Page

Akua Page gives talks to incarcerated juveniles, to share with them the rich history, culture, and language of the Gullah Geechee.

An interview with Akua can be found in this NBC story/video.

“Every time an Elder passes away, a library of knowledge burns down.” – Akua Page

Akua is using technology to reach a younger audience and preserve the Gullah Geechee language and traditions. Her TikTok channel is @geecheegoddess

Page turned to social media to share Gullah stories with younger audiences. She’s had success, with more than 55,000 followers and 700,000 likes on her TikTok, and more than 440,000 views on her YouTube channel.

“I love TikTok. It has been so instrumental in the work I’m doing,” Page said. Her goal is to pass the torch, so that her culture, which has survived for hundreds of years, can keep going.
NBC News

Sunn m’Cheaux

Highlighting that connective tissue is what the educator Sunn m’Cheaux said helps his students see the similarities between their current-day speech and the Gullah Geechee language. M’Cheaux, a Gullah Geechee expert from Mt Holly, South Carolina, has taught Gullah Geechee in the African language program at Harvard University since 2016.

He said that for his students, some of whom are Gullah Geechee or have Gullah Geechee ancestry, learning the language helps them develop pride and a new sense of self.

M’Cheaux, who spoke Gullah exclusively until he learned English in middle school, said the notion of teaching Gullah to outsiders would have been laughable when he was younger. According to Page, some Gullah Geechee elders were physically beaten for speaking the language by educators who traveled south to teach them standard English, as recently as her grandparents’ generation.
The Guardian

De Nyew Testament

The Guardian article also describes a Gullah translation of the New Testament.

The Gullah New Testament is available as a free PDF download. It is also available from Amazon in hard copy form.

A video presentation of Luke’s story of the birth of Jesus, read from De Nyew Testament by ethnographer, author, and scholar Ron Daise.

Semi-Sequitur: How Cool?

Q: How cool is the Austin Public Library?

A: Very cool.

Will there be a Buffet?

Let’s check out some Gullah Geechee cuisine.

Emily Meggett: Community Leader, Chef, Author

Emily Meggett (November 19, 1932 – April 21, 2023) was an American Geechee-Gullah community leader, chef, and author who co-wrote Gullah Geechee Home Cooking: Recipes from the Matriarch of Edisto Island in 2022. She lived on Edisto Island, near Charleston, South Carolina.

Recognition

On July 22, 2022, Rep. Jim Clyburn presented her with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. In an accompanying note, President Joe Biden wrote, “we are living in a moment that calls for your hope and your light.” Charleston mayor John Tecklenburg declared July 22 “Emily Meggett Day”.

Meggett was so beloved in the Edisto Island community that, according to The New York Times, “no one charges her for anything.” She would leave the side door of her kitchen open to indicate to neighbors that she “has some food ready.”

Emily Meggett’s husband, Jessie, who predeceased her, was a fellow member of the Gullah culture. He grew up in a two-room cabin that had previously been occupied by slaves. In 2017, his childhood home was moved to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

Meggett had ten children. She attended New First Missionary Baptist Church.
Wikipedia

NPR honored Emily Meggett in an audio story from 2022, and as a memorial on May 1st, 2023.

“For Gullah Geechee chef Emily Meggett, cooking was about heart.”

NPR Story (Anastasia Tsioulcas) / Archived MP3