De Conch
Fuss Quarta 2019 Edition
Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation makes history again! Tune in to the Gullah/Geechee TV broadcast from her US Congressional testimony! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WhgndFLXk0&t=142s
Peace! The Gullah/Geechee Nation is off to a very busy and exciting year! We pushed off the shores of the Lowcountry and sailed up to Capitol Hill as depicted in the cover photo. Thanks to the support of Gullah/Geechee Sustainability Think Tank members at the Ocean Conservancy, I was asked to testify before the United States Congress Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife. The videos related to that historic event have gone viral! To our knowledge, I am the first Gullah/Geechee to have ever testified before the United States Congress on our behalf regarding any issue. So, it is truly a blessing to have done this for the ocean! De wata bring we and de wata gwine tek we bak! We are keeping the flow going this quarter with keeping the pressure on to stop seismic gun testing and offshore drilling. Our Gullah/Geechee Sustainability Think Tank partner, the South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP) has submitted the paperwork for our lawsuit to prevent seismic gun permits from being issued by the United States government. We are part of this suit along with a number of east coast communities. Our human seawall is continuing to stand long before we join “Hands Across the Sands” this year. We have no intention of collapsing against the outside pressures that are pushing for another way to exploit our coast. We have also become partners of the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification and of the Earth Law Center. We will be working on a number of initiatives to insure that our oceans are protected and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are implemented. These goals will help us achieve the tenants of the Paris Climate Agreement. We encourage you to continue to contribute to the Gullah/Geechee Land Legacy Fund so that we can continue these efforts and participate in a number of international conferences and engagements to forward this work. Since our community is not a priority of the planning done by others, we have developed our own plans which will be rolled out throughout the year including our Ocean Action Plan which will be unveiled on World Water Day-March 22nd. It is of extreme importance that the Gullah/Geechee voice is not drowned out in the tide of ideas that are being put forth in regard to sustainability, adaptation, and resilience planning. We will also have presentations at the National Adaptation Forum and Keeping History Above Water Conferences in April. If I do not see you in our sessions there, I pray to see you at some of the other events that are part of the “Healin de Land World Tour” that I am on this year to raise funds and awareness. Gwine ta www.QueenQuet.com fa mo bout disya! I gwine see hunnuh day or win hunnuh git ya! Peace,
Queen Quet
Founder, Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation
www.gofundme.com/gullahgeechee-land-legacy-fund
World Water Day + 2019 EarthEcho Water Challenge Kickoff We look forward to collaborating with you to celebrate World Water Day and the official kick-off to the EarthEcho Water Challenge on March 22. This annual event provides a unique opportunity for communities to connect to their local water resources through water quality monitoring and through the implementation of projects designed to protect local waterways. Through this event, EarthEcho Water Challenge partners, collaborators, and participants work in communities around the world to test water quality, share their results, and take action to protect their local water resources. As part of your World Water Day event plans, we encourage you to tell the unique stories of your local waterways and the impact of your work. In this packet, you will find an overview of key resources and activities associated with our World Water Day programming/2019 EarthEcho Water Challenge kick-off. You will also find sample social media posts, a template press release to help share your water monitoring events/programs with local media, a template World Water Day proclamation to provide to local government officials who may be interested in commemorating this day, and template content to share your World Water Day event in e-mails/ newsletters. We encourage you to share stories, photos, and videos from your events on social media using hashtag #MonitorWater and via e-mail with EarthEcho Program Manager, Sean Russell, at srussell@earthecho.org. You’re also invited to follow along with EarthEcho International on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thank you for your participation in the EarthEcho Water Challenge and your commitment to protecting local waterways. We look forward to celebrating World Water Day with you! New EarthEcho Water Challenge Waterway Protection Resources Stay tuned to the EarthEcho Water Challenge website for the launch of new stories and tools to help inspire young people and community members to translate their water quality data into conservation projects to help protect local waterways. Key Links/Resources: EarthEcho Water Challenge Website: www.monitorwater.org 2019 EarthEcho Water Challenge Kick-off + Opportunities to Get Involved: http://monitorwater.org/post/countdown-to-world-water-day-2019 On social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/EarthEcho Instagram: @EarthEcho Twitter: @EarthEcho #MonitorWater
Gullah/Geechee Nation Leaders CREATE Representative Glenda Simmons-Jenkins and Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation are now a part of the CREATE Initiative. With the by-line, "Engage to change." the CREATE Initiative advances research and education at the intersection of water and equity through community engagement, interdisciplinary scholarship, and graduate training.
Funded by the University of Minnesota’s Grand Challenges Research Initiative, the CREATE Initiative addresses real world problems that matter to society at the nexus of ensuring clean water and fostering just and equitable communities. https://create.umn.edu/our-work/
Gullah/Geechee Fishing Association Holdin pun de Fishin Tradition!
The Gullah/Geechee Fishing Association (www.gullahgeecheefishing.net) was founded in Beaufort County, SC on March 25, 2010 by Queen Quet, Ricky Wright, the late Herbert Simmons, Joseph Bradley, and Keith Ellis who are all natives of St. Helena Island, SC in the Gullah/Geechee Nation. These founding members were quickly joined by Gullah/Geechee fishermen and women from other parts of the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida in the mission to 1) To advocate for the rights of Gullah/Geechee and African American fishermen and fishery workers of the southeast 2) To share traditional fishing methods with the next generation 3) To restore access to the areas and factories needed to sustain the seafood industry in the Gullah/Geechee Nation and southeastern United States The Gullah/Geechee Fishing Association members have actively worked with numerous national and international organizations during their five years in existence. Their work has been featured in profiles done by the Sierra Club, the Nature Conservancy, the Ocean Conservancy, USA Today and CNN International to name a few. During even numbered years, the Gullah/Geechee Fishing Association members host, the "Gullah/Geechee Seafood Festival" on Hunting Island. Throughout each year, they have community celebrations to engage more Gullah/Geechee fishing families in their efforts. They will co-host a series of "Gullah/Geechee Famlee Days throughout the year and the Gullah/Geechee Seafood Festival. For more information, call (843) 838-1171 or email GullGeeCo@aol.com or casting@gullahgeecheefishing.net. De Gullah/Geechee say,
"De wata bring we and de wata gwine tek we bak!� www.gullahgeecheefishing.net
Gullah/Geechee Fishing Association Joins the South Carolina Conservation Coalition!
Links to Gullah/Geechee Living Culture
1.
Gullah/Geechee Nation Headquarters www.officialgullahgeechee.info or www.gullahgeecheenation.com
2.
Gullah/Geechee Nation on Instagram http://instagram.com/gullahgeechee
3.
Gullah/Geechee Angel Network www.gullahgeecheeangelnetwork.com
4.
Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition www.gullahgeechee.net
5.
Gullah/Geechee TV™ (GGTV) www.youtube.om/AMPTurnItUp
6.
Gullah/Geechee Riddim Radio http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gullahgeechee
7.
Gullah/Geechee Fishing Association www.gullahgeecheefishingassociation.com
8.
Gullah/Geechee Nation Facebook Fan Page https://www.facebook.com/GullahGeecheeWeBe/
9.
Gullah/Geechee Folks on Twitter www.twitter.com/gullahgeechee
10. Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee www.QueenQuet.com 11. Gullah/Geechee Nation International Music & Movement Festival™ www.gullahgeechee.info 12. Gullah/Geechee Doula Association http://www.gullahgeecheedoula.com/ 13. Gullah/Geechee Nation on Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/gullahgeechee/ 14. Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Committee of NE FL www.facebook.com/neflaggcommittee
South Carolina Coastal Communities File a Federal Lawsuit to Stop Seismic Gun Testing The South Carolina Environmental Law Project, (SCELP) is representing 16 South Carolina coastal communities that seeks to block seismic surveying in the Atlantic Ocean. They filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in federal court asserting that seismic exploration for offshore oil and gas will cause irreparable harm and is contrary to the public interest.
SCELP’s lawsuit against the federal government was consolidated with one that regional and
national conservation organizations had filed separately to block seismic surveys off the East Coast to prevent harm to ocean life. SCELP along with the South Carolina Small Business Chamber had filed an initial lawsuit on Dec. 11, 2018, contesting the validity of five incidental harassment authorizations issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service that allow seismic companies to harm and harass of hundreds of thousands of marine mammals. “The economic damage from seismic surveying for offshore oil starts on the first air gun blast,” said Frank Knapp Jr., president and CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. “The destruction from that first blast and all the subsequent blasts can never be undone. That’s why it is imperative that seismic surveys not start while the legal process is ongoing.” Billy Keyserling, mayor of Beaufort, South Carolina, said his city’s military and and tourists attractions will be put at risk by the proposed seismic activities. He cited Department of Defense opposition to
seismic testing when put
forth in President Obama’s five-year plan for energy exploration, which was eventually withdrawn by that administration. “Our economy is built on the value of our natural assets, specifically the abundant opportunities for recreation and observation of marine life, alone with recreational, commercial and sustenance fisheries. Tourists come here especially to observe marine mammals and our businesses depend on our healthy and vibrant population of marine life, including dolphins and sea turtles. Our fishermen depend on the ability to catch fish in waters off our shores, and commercial fishing still supports the livelihood for many families,” he said. Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, Founding Member and Secretary of the Gullah/Geechee Fishing Association (which is part of the lawsuit), and a native of St. Helena Island, South Carolina, said in a statement that members of the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition fund their mission of preserving the minority group’s cultural history through offering ecotourism and cultural tourism tours, as well as providing education presentations to various local and tourists groups. “The members of the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition are tremendously concerned about the impacts the proposed seismic testing will have on the ecology of our fisheries habitat, including the consequences of many species being displaced because of the activity. To our knowledge, seismic gun testing will change the ecological balance of the waterway in which it is done. This will cause certain ocean species to migrate away from the coast of our Sea Islands,” she said.
Wha Gwine On Every Monday at 7 pm EST Tune in to “Gullah/Geechee Riddim Radio!” Disya da we sho! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gullahgeechee
MARCH-Gullah/Geechee Volunteer Month
Sign up your group to come and be a part of transformational learning and community service in the Gullah/Geechee Nation during this annual month that brings in hundreds of volunteers from across the country. Email GullGeeCo@aol.com
APRIL
April 5 & 6 Gullah/Geechee Gold Rice Journey in Georgetown and Sandy Island, SC in the Gullah/Geechee Nation https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gullahgeechee-gold-rice-journey-tickets-54421846207 April 13 Coastal Cultures Conference on Hunting Island, SC in the Gullah/Geechee Nation https://w w w.eventbrite.com/e/coasta l-cu ltu res-conference-2019-hea l in-de-la nd-keep in-de-cu lchatickets-54417733907 April 20 The Gathering at Geechee Kunda on Hunting Island, SC in the Gullah/Geechee Nation
MAY
Gullah/Geechee Bike & Beauty at the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Park on St. Helena Island, SC, Gullah/Geechee Nation https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gullahgeechee-bike-beauty-tickets-54425443968
June-Black Music Month
Gullah/Geechee Nation international Music & Movement Festival™ 2019 Gwine Barbados https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gullahgeechee-nation-international-music-movement-festival-2019-gwine-barbados-tickets-54017172818
July/August
Gullah/Geechee Nation Appreciation Week July 27-August 3
Fa mo updates and ting bout wha gwine on falla www.gullahgeecheenation.com or @GullahGeechee. Keep up with events on a weekly basis by following @GullahGeechee and www.GullahGeecheeNation.com.
Gullah/Geechee Nation International Music & Movement Festival 2019
August-Black Philanthropy Month SEPTEMBER
Lands End Woodlands River Festival on St. Helena Island, SC Gullah/Geechee Nation Reggae Pon de River in at the Bluffton Oyster Company in Bluffton, SC Gullah/Geechee Nation Wadamalaw Island Labor Day Parade in SC in the Gullah/Geechee Nation Oscar Frazier BBQ Festival at Oscar Frazier Park in Bluffton, SC Gullah/Geechee Nation Pin Point Seafood Festival in Pinpoint, GA Gullah/Geechee Nation Moja Celebration in
Charleston, SC in the Gullah/Geechee Nation www.mojafestival.com
OCTOBER-Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Awareness Month NOVEMBER
Rice Festival in Riceboro, GA in the Gullah/Geechee Nation Heritage Days Celebration on St. Helena Island, SC in the Gullah/Geechee Nation Sugar Cane Harvest at Geechee Kunda in Riceboro, GA in the Gullah/Geechee Nation
DECEMBER
Gullah Night Pun de Town at the St. Helena Branch Library December 21 Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition Anniversary
Tune in to Gullah/Geechee TV weekly at www.GullahGeechee.tv. Fa mo updates and ting bout wha gwine on falla www.gullahgeecheenation.com or @GullahGeechee. Keep up with events on a weekly basis by following @GullahGeechee and www.GullahGeecheeNation.com.
GULLAH/GEECHEE GOLD SOULS CAMPAIGN
The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition is the premiere organization on the protection and continuation of the Gullah/Geechee history, heritage, and culture. The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition: •
advocates for the protection of the human and land rights of Gullah/Geechee
•
promotes and participates in the continuation of Gullah/Geechee history, heritage, culture, and language.
• •
works toward Sea Island land re-acquisition and maintenance. celebrates Gullah/Geechee culture through artistic and educational means electronically and via "grassroots scholarship."
The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition has successfully carried out this mission since 1996. During which time, they developed the ONLY archive in the world which is TOTALLY dedicated to Gullah/Geechee history, heritage, and culture. The Gullah/Geechee Alekbulan Archive is being upgraded in order to continue to provide access to artifacts, images, documents, books, films, and recordings to future generations of Gullah/Geechees and global researchers. The Coalition host hundreds of students and professional writers each year and it also supports native Gullah/Geechee speakers and presenters traveling to other parts of the world to make sure that accurate presentations on our culture are done in a varied array of venues. We are calling on all supporters of the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition to become dues paying members and to contribute to the “Gullah/Geechee Gold Souls Campaign.” The funds will assist with the completion of the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition Center. Please use the form at the end of this ezine or go to http://fnd.us/c/07Wl6 in order to financially contribute to the fundraising efforts that are currently under way in order to finalize the second phase of archival digitization and artifact preservation. The “wish list:” • New Apple Mac Pro desktop computer • 12 Mac compatible 3T and higher external drives • Acid free & corrugated plastic archival boxes and poster covers of all sizes • CD/DVD Duplicator For details on how you can host a fundraising event, contribute in any or in all of these ways, please email GullGeeCo@aol.com. Disya bout geeing frum de soul fa mek sho de richness stay een wi black gold!
Hep Mo Angel fa Fly! Support De Gullah/Geechee Angel Network! The mission of the official 501(c)3, non-profit of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, the Gullah/Geechee Angel Network is To preserve, protect and promote the cultural heritage of the Gullah/Geechee People who have lived in the southeastern portion of the United States of America from North Carolina to Jacksonville Florida 30 miles inland (known as the "Low Country") for over 300 years. To connect all people, not just in the 50 states, but internationally throughout the Diaspora, Europe, Caribbean and Africa. Goals and Objectives are achieved by the implementation of the following seven (7) point program: The Performing Arts: Musical plays, dramatizations, poetry, storytelling, enactments and workshops Arts and Crafts: Workshops in the production and displaying of traditional Gullah/Geechee cultural items. Demonstrative workshops that encourage the development of functional skills and forms of expression to potentially showcase and stimulate direct participation in the growing ethnic tourism industry, festivals and cultural events. Educational: The establishment of Cultural Learning Centers designed to foster motivation, achievement and cultural enrichment. Historical/Research excursions from the tip of North Carolina (Cape Fear) to the outlining areas of Jacksonville, Florida. Scholarships and Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award programs and events recognizing those persons who have given selflessly of themselves, and have done considerable work for the benefits of their particular community as it relates to cultural preservation. Awarding Scholarships to youth who exhibit talent, and are oriented toward developing skills which foster Gullah/Geechee Culture. The Internet and The Media: Networking with organizations, institutions and groups which focus on Gullah/ Geechee Culture. Consistently present positive role models and activities to the low country in particular, and to in the Diaspora in general. Production, Preservation and Documentation: Production and archiving of Gullah/Geechee video and audio recordings, books, symbols and banners. Radio, television and computer production programming. Health and Nutrition Awareness: Forums and symposiums which explore lifestyles, food staples, food cultivation and preparation of Gullah/Geechee cuisine, as well as developing holistic programs to promote well being. Yenna House widout a doubt! The Gullah/Geechee International Camp Meeting Center & Yenna House will host a number of activities and people from around the world and educate people on the living traditions of that exist throughout the Gullah/ Geechee Nation. The next major fundraiser for the project will be the Gullah/Geechee Nation International Music & Movement Festival™ www.gullahgeechee.info. For more details on fundraisers, tours, assisting with the project, or contributing, call (843) 572-6788 or go to www.gullahgeecheeangelnetwork.com .
Join the GULLAH/GEECHEE SEA ISLAND COALITION www.gullahgeechee.net I am enclosing my check for _____ $45 for the year of membership _____ $300-999 supporter (Pledge amount can be sent in monthly installments)
Mail this to Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition Post Office Box 1207 St. Helena Island SC 29920 Name: _________________________
_____ $1200 for lifetime membership
What island are you closely connected to? ________________________________ How?(Circle one) Family
Business
E-mail address: ________________________________
Address: _____ $___________ toward the Gullah/ Geechee Gold Souls Campaign My check is written to the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition. I know that I will receive a newsletter, event announcements, and will be a subscriber to the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Roots Listserve and will also receive discounts on Gullah/Geechee products.
______________________________
Where did you receive this? ________________________________
______________________________
What would you like to see done by this organization?
Telephone:
___________________ (Day)
_______________________________ (Eve or Cell)
GULLAH/GEECHEE SEA ISLAND COALITION Post Office Box 1207 St. Helena Island SC 29920
© March 2019 Gullah/Geechee Nation © March 2019 Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition ALL rights for photographs and articles are reserved. Republishing should not be done without consent from the Gullah/Geechee Nation.