WHO ARE GULLAH GEECHEE PEOPLE?

Gullah Geechee ( \g-l\ \ge-che \ ) people are direct descendants of Africans who were brought to the United States and enslaved for generations !heir diverse roots in particular parts of Africa" pri#aril$ %est Africa" and the nature of their enslave#ent on isolated islands created a uni&ue culture that survives to the present da$ 'vidence of the culture is clearl$ visible in the distinctive arts" crafts" cuisine" and #usic" as well as Gullah Geechee language !he culture is e#bodied in diverse patterns of social organi(ation reflecting the inti#ate and private wa$s co##unities and fa#ilies #eet the challenges of life !he culture is #anifested in a s$ste# of practices)principles that e#erge fro#* (+) the diverse African origins of Gullah Geechee peoples" (,) intense interaction a#ong people fro# different language groups" and (-) generations of isolation in settings where enslaved Africans and their descendants were the #a.orit$ population !he isolation continued after the /ivil %ar ended in +012 A hostile societ$ led Gullah Geechee co##unities to re#ain unto the#selves for al#ost another centur$ /usto#s" traditions" and beliefs continued to develop" often in opposition to segregation and oppression fro# the do#inant societ$ %hen rapid social changes after %orld %ar 33 led to encroach#ent fro# the do#inant societ$" Gullah Geechee fa#ilies and co##unities #aintained insular patterns of values and social organi(ation /ontact" interaction" conflict" as well as cooperation between different racial and ethnic groups created awareness and change 4owever" efforts of outsiders to penetrate" anal$(e" and co-opt the culture were often #et b$ renewed deter#ination of Gullah Geechee people to re#ain private and #aintain their culture in besieged co##unities 3t is widel$ accepted that Gullah Geechee culture is uni&ue and distinctive a#ong all the descendants of enslaved Africans in the United States As a result" this #anage#ent plan identifies partnership progra#s that will e5plore and docu#ent cultural values and social patterns for preservation and perpetuation !he historical develop#ent of Gullah Geechee co##unities and the d$na#ic nature of conte#porar$ patterns preclude a singular or definitive articulation of Gullah Geechee societ$ and culture 6ine distinctive features e#erge fro# co##unit$ specifications as well as scholarl$ anal$ses* GullahGeechee7anguage*A creole language containing distinctive features of the African languages spo8en b$ their enslaved ancestors

 9a#il$)/o##unit$)Societ$*:eep senti#ents of 8inship;ancestral and assu#ed and cooperation that unites social groups for protection and perpetuation Spiritualit$)<eligiosit$*=elief in divine guidance and involve#ent in the dail$ lives of individuals" fa#ilies" and co##unities (=orrowed fro# the Gullah Geechie /orridor 4eritage >anage#ent ?lan) 9or #ore infor#ation about Gullah Geechie ?eople and the Gullah Geechie /orridor >anage#ent ?lan visit

www gullahgeecheecorridor org)