De Conch
Mission Report 2018 Edition
www.GullahGeechee.net www.GullahGeecheeNation.com
Peace and Happy New Year! Tenki Tenki fa hunnuh support oba de pass 22 years ya! We ain bin gwine do wha we dun dun ef hunnuh ain bin dey dey wid we fa sho. It has been a blessed journey through two decades and we are continuing to work on our mission as we head toward our 25th Anniversary celebration. This 22nd year is dedicated to completing the digitization of De Gullah/Geechee Alkebulan Archive and insuring proper archiving and cataloguing of the paper, book, manuscript, and poster collections. Due to the outstanding support from the University of Minnesota, the Carter Family, Mr. Thomson, our belated friend Carol, and many others, we have obtained the thousands of dollars worth of digitization equipment and archival supplies that we needed for Phase 1. As we enter Phase 2, we are calling on all of our members and supporters to contribute to or donate one of the items that remain on the wish list so that we can complete the rest of the process. The fundraising started out being a difficult task since many people do not value retaining history. However, the weather has now surpassed that difficulty. The hurricanes and tropical storms slowed us down by months and threw back our digitization almost a complete year because we had to keep the equipment stored away to protect it due to the frequency of the storms. So, we are spending this first quarter including “Gullah/Geechee Volunteer Month” doubling up on the digitization process. We look forward to Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition members and groups coming to assist with the vertical filing process and cataloguing in March. These consistent storms and the rebuilding that has to be done after each one has lead to us starting a new campaign to insure that our communities have preparedness trainings. The Black Emergency Managers Association (BEMA) is partnering with us as part of the Gullah/Geechee Sustainability Think Tank to insure that this takes place. The Gullah/Geechee Preparedness Kits are a very expensive undertaking. However, we have been able to distribute kits throughout the Carolina coast of the Gullah/Geechee Nation so that folks can have necessary tools for the coming hurricane season. We will continue with preparedness trainings throughout the entire Gullah/Geechee Nation during the first quarter of this year. So, additional fundraising for more kits is taking place. Support from the Sierra Club allowed us to assemble the first kits and to assist families with efforts after the storms. Our journey pushing folks to continue their land ownership and to protect their human rights and our right to self-determination has met a great deal of resistance over our 22 years of existence since many did not accept our stand on and for human rights. However, respect and resilience have grown out of our ability to overcome that resistance. So, as the song says, “I feel like going on.” I hope hunnuh gwine keep gwine on wid me. Please renew your membership for this year and continue the journey with me. Tenki Tenki! Peace,
Queen Quet
Founder, Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation
The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition (www.GullahGeechee.net) was the first organization in world history to contain "Gullah/Geechee" in its name. Since they started their work in 1996 under the leadership of the founder, Queen Quet Marquetta L. Goodwine (www.QueenQuet.com), they have successfully managed to get "Gullah/Geechee" as one unit into the vocabulary of the world instead of the use of "Gullah" or "Geechee" separately. This is part of one of the many seeds that Queen Quet who coined the phrase
"Hunnuh mus tek cyare de root fa heal de tree." has planted around the world as she continues to lead the fight for Gullah/Geechee land and human rights. The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition advocates for the rights of all Gullah/Geechee people around the world • promotes and participates in the preservation 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 consist of members and a set of global partners and supporters. Amongst these are the Gullah/Geechee Angel Network, the Gullah/Geechee Fishing Association, the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Committee of Northeast Florida, and the Gullah/Geechee Sustainability Think Tank. These entities have had a very successful year combating a number of environmental issues that the Gullah/Geechee Nation is faced with including climate change, sea level rise, seismic gun use, and offshore drilling. The environmental work that the Gullah/Geechee Nation is engaged in is precedent setting and their traditional knowledge is becoming more and more valuable in the circles of people seeking ways to deal with the global climate change challenges. As a result of this, there have been two successful campaigns to support Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation (www.QueenQuet.com) and Directorate member of the International Association for American Minorities (IHRAAM) attending United Nations events including COP22 in Morocco, the UN Oceans Conference at the UN Headquarters in New York, and the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, CA. Her presence and presentations at these major international events garnered a number of media articles focused on the Gullah/Geechee Nation which are detailed below: COP22 https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/community/beaufort-news/article110386502.html http://www.climatechangenews.com/2016/11/02/former-us-slave-nation-heads-to-marrakech-climate-summit/ Global Climate Action Summit https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2018/09/21/ocean-climate-change/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7ZLI8kpD_I&t=2s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7EW7dVJ7dw&t=6s
Climate Change Rally https://www.dailygamecock.com/article/2018/09/climate-change-jobs-justice-summit-gullah-geechee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD-LHMp5k0s&t=5s Offshore Drilling Protest https://cleanenergy.org/blog/coastal-environment-and-culture/ https://usa.oceana.org/blog/coastal-voices-part-5-queen-coast https://www.greenvilleonline.com/picture-gallery/news/2017/04/20/gullah-community-worries-about-potentialoffshore-drilling/100696684/ https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/queen-quet-and-gullah-geechee-nation-say-no-offshore-drilling http://www.wltx.com/news/local/hundreds-gather-in-opposition-of-offshore-drilling-1/518443070 https://www.postandcourier.com/news/anti-drilling-rally-draws-a-few-hundredto-south-carolina/article_3b1c23e0-10e1-11e8-9a7d-f3eec31f51e5.html https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060100373 Climate Change https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2018/10/25/gullah-geechee-nation/ https://cleantechnica.com/2018/11/26/climate-change-threatens-traditions-of-indigenous-people-national-climate-assessment/ Sea Level Rise https://blog.ucsusa.org/guest-commentary/gullahgeechee-nation-surviving-and-thriving-as-the-sea-rises https://www.alternet.org/community-slave-descendants-protecting-unique-food-traditions-rising-seas https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2018/11/rising-seas-storms-threaten-gullah-geechee-land/ Hurricanes http://silicamag.com/journal/climate-v-culture/ Gullah/Geechee Fishing Association (www.GullahGeecheeFishing.net) https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2018/11/14/celebrating-seafood-heritage-gullah-geechee/
Queen Quet (www.QueenQuet.com) https://fupaper.blog/2018/09/24/meet-queen-quet-one-of-our-only-alumni-to-become-a-head-of-state/ http://www.climatechangenews.com/2016/12/29/our-climate-heroes-of-2016/ http://forthewild.world/listen/queen-quet-on-the-survival-of-sea-island-wisdom95?rq=queen%20quet The Gullah/Geechee Nation is dedicated to continuing to produce numerous events that will educate the community about how to sustain cultural heritage in the face of climate change and to find means by which to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 with the rest of their global partners. Ideally, these goals can be met by the conclusion of the International Decade of People of African Descent which the citizens of the Gullah/Geechee Nation have been proudly celebrating. This United Nations declared decade has given the Gullah/Geechees an opportunity to further engage with others around the world seeking to learn more about and to reunite those of the African Diaspora. The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition will continue to be in the forefront of supporting and promoting these endeavors and fighting for the human and land rights of the Gullah/Geechee Nation.
Tenk GAWD de Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition still gwine on!
www.GullahGeechee.net www.ToursdeSandyIsland.com
www.gofundme.com/gullahgeechee-land-legacy-fund
www.GullahGeechee.net www.GullahGeecheeFishing.net
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!
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
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 .
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 August-Black Philanthropy Month FEBRUARY-Black History Month
February 16 Prep Up at Tech Up Step Up Charleston, SC Gullah/Geechee Nation
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 March 8-9 Black Folks Land Legacy Journey from St. Helena Island, SC to Amelia Island, FL https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-folks-land-legacy-journey-through-the-gullahgeechee-nation-tickets-54419359770
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.
Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation (www.QueenQuet.com) is featured in the Royal Gazette due to the fact that she will be a featured speaker during the International Conference of National Trusts in Bermuda. This will be the 50th Anniversary of the trust. The conference, titled “Arms Wide Open — Strategies for Engaging with Diverse Communities” has already attracted delegates to the conference from 32 countries — Aruba, Australia, Bermuda, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, France, Fiji, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Malawi, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Philippines, Russia, St Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Sri Lanka, St Helena, Tanzania, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Virgin Islands, United Kingdom, United States and Zimbabwe. Queen Quet looks forward to adding the Gullah/Geechee Nation‘s voice to this powerful array of global collaborators.
http://www.royalgazette.com/environment/article/20181218/bermuda-chosen-for-globalconservation-forumfbclid=IwAR1FALvOuuMmC4VCoquTca_kffYBylNshKKgnLRcTBmY8Iy0uU_F8ePs9zg
BARBADOS PUSHES CAROLINA TIES & HERITAGE CAMPAIGN WITH 2019 GULLAH/GEECHEE PARTNERSHIP Immersive trip connecting the Sea Islands of the Gullah/Geechee Nation and Barbados to take place June 21-23, 2019
The Gullah/Geechee Nation will host an immersive cultural trip to Barbados in June 2019 to explore the unique historical ties between the island, the Gullah/Geechee people and the history of the Carolinas. The effort is in tandem with Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.’s (BTMI) ongoing campaign to promote connections between Barbados and the Carolinas, and strengthen its heritage proposition in the U.S. On December 19, American Airlines will launch daily service from Charlotte, further driving its commitment to expanding cross-destination initiatives. “We are so excited to welcome members of the Gullah/Geechee Nation to Barbados for this trip. Given the unique nature of Barbados’ relationship to the Carolinas, taking a journey to the island is a great way to get people involved in learning about their own ancestry,” said Petra Roach, director of the U.S. for BTMI. “There has been a continued increase this year in heritage, cultural, and genealogy tourism, emphasizing the interest among millions of Americans in unearthing their roots. I hope that this trip will help the Gullah/Geechee people accomplish that.” It is not just the Gullah/Geechee people, however, who are able to trace their roots to Barbados – an estimated 8-10 million Americans of varying racial makeup are of Bajan heritage as well. One of these ancestral links is evident in the city of Charleston, S.C., which was founded by a group of Barbadians in 1670, making Barbados the only ‘Colony to found a Colony’ in the U.S. Charleston and Barbados would later sign a Sister City Agreement, which connects Charleston and Barbados’ second largest township, Speightstown. By signing this agreement, Barbados cemented its dedication to heritage tourism development in the city and its surrounding areas. The Gullah/Geechee people have had strong historical ties across the southeast coast of the U.S. since slavery. Unlike many other African Americans in the south, the Gullah people were able to create their own enclave and retain their unique creole culture that preserved the linguistic and cultural heritage of their African ancestors, combined with new influences from the region that they absorbed. Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, said, “De Bajan folks da we famlee! This trip holds great significance for the entire Gullah/Geechee Nation due to not only the history of Charleston, but the linguistic and foodways traditions. We are also interested in the other aspects of the environment of Barbados and how it relates to that of the Sea Islands.” The trip to Barbados was announced at the Gullah/Geechee International Music & Movement Festival in Charleston, S.C. on Aug. 3-5, 2018. This event is recognized as the official celebration of the Gullah/Geechee Nation. The three-day festival hosted and presented by native Gullah/Geechees highlighted the connection from the Sea Islands to Barbados through music, dance, drama, film, books, and crafts. “The festival was a great way for us to see the strength and number of our people, and how many are interested in opportunities to exchange culture and come together,” said Winston Farrell, an accomplished artist, poet and playwright, who performed at the festival and is also instrumental in organizing the trip to Barbados. “We want to galvanize our people and offer them inspiring opportunities, and a chance to experience Barbados will truly bring us together.” The Gullah/Geechee cultural immersion trip to Barbados from June 21-23, 2019 will focus on these connections to Barbados and its history. The trip will include visits to chattel houses, small homes that could easily be dismantled and reassembled, built by former enslaved Africans across the island who could not own land. The Gullah/Geechee people will also see the Emancipation Statue, which celebrates the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Barbados, the Arlington House Museum, which details the history of Speightstown, and the Newton Slave Burial Ground, which is the final resting place of the earliest group of African and Afro-descendent enslaved population.
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 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, 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
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
© January 2019 Gullah/Geechee Nation © January 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.