{"id":25370,"date":"2024-04-21T08:59:57","date_gmt":"2024-04-21T13:59:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=25370"},"modified":"2024-04-23T07:25:03","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T12:25:03","slug":"gullah-geechee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=25370","title":{"rendered":"Gullah Geechee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This morning’s Guardian<\/a><\/strong> features a story about Sunn m\u2019Cheaux<\/strong> and Akua Page<\/strong>, who advocate for the Gullah language and culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On January 5th, 2024, WLBOTT<\/strong> had an opportunity to introduce our viewers to the Gullah culture through its culinary creation of Hoppin’ John<\/a>.
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Let’s explore a little more….<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gullah Geechee<\/strong> Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Guardian Article<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Today’s Guardian article<\/a> describes the Gullah Geechee, with a special emphasis on preserving the unique language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A type of American creole, the language [Gullah] was formed by enslaved Africans who lived on islands along the country\u2019s 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 \u201cform of communication among people who spoke many different languages, including European slave traders, slave owners and diverse, African ethnic groups\u201d.<\/p>\nThe Guardian<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The article follows two advocates for the Gullah language: Akua Page<\/strong> and Sunn m\u2019Cheaux<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Akua Page<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Akua Page gives talks to incarcerated juveniles, to share with them the rich history, culture, and language of the Gullah Geechee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An interview with Akua <\/strong>can be found in this NBC story\/video<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Every time an Elder passes away, a library of knowledge burns down.”<\/em> – Akua Page<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Akua is using technology to reach a younger audience and preserve the Gullah Geechee language and traditions. Her TikTok channel is @geecheegoddess<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Page turned to social media to share Gullah stories with younger audiences. She\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love TikTok. It has been so instrumental in the work I\u2019m doing,\u201d Page said. Her goal is to pass the torch, so that her culture, which has survived for hundreds of years, can keep going.<\/p>\nNBC News<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Sunn m\u2019Cheaux<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Highlighting that connective tissue is what the educator Sunn m\u2019Cheaux<\/strong> said helps his students see the similarities between their current-day speech and the Gullah Geechee language. M\u2019Cheaux, a Gullah Geechee expert from Mt Holly, South Carolina, has taught Gullah Geechee in the African language program at Harvard University since 2016.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>

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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M\u2019Cheaux, who spoke Gullah<\/strong> 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\u2019 generation.<\/p>\nThe Guardian<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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De Nyew Testament<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Guardian article also describes a Gullah translation of the New Testament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Gullah New Testament<\/strong> is available as a free PDF download<\/a>. It is also available from Amazon<\/a> in hard copy form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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