Beyond Tourism Week in the Gullah/Geechee Nation

Gullah/Geechee Nation ♦ May 10, 2017 ♦ 5 Comments

The U.S. travel and tourism industry generates approximately $2.1 trillion per year.  So, it is no surprise that there is actually a “Tourism Week” celebrated.   In South Carolina, Gullah/Geechee culture is often highlighted at the I-95 North Visitors Center in Hardeeville, SC.  However, in most cases, Gullah/Geechee culture is not highlighted, it is hijacked!

The massive amount of tourists that come to the Gullah/Geechee Nation annually believe that by driving through and taking photos and then staying in a hotel or camp ground over night, they have supported the Gullah/Geechee people.  They even end up often duped into spending funds at “historic sites” and plantations that have Gullah/Geechee listed on their websites and shots of sweetgrass baskets on their brochures to only find out that there are no Gullah/Geechee people that own that site.  There may be one Gullah/Geechee person or a few that work there, but beyond their salaries, there is no economic support going to the citizens of the Gullah/Geechee Nation.

For 2017, Travel and Tourism Week which will be held May 7-13 is themed “Faces of Travel.”   During this week, the Gullah/Geechee Nation is calling on tourists to post pictures of themselves at Gullah/Geechee OWNED locations with the items that they have purchased and with the owners or Gullah/Geechees that are working or creating items at the location so that we can see the “faces of travel” on their journey.  They can tweet them @GullahGeechee or tag them to the Gullah/Geechee Nation’s Facebook Fan Page at

www.facebook.com/GullahGeecheeWeBe

In the event that you are saving your travel days to come down for another time of year, like once your children are out of school for the summer, we will make finding actual Gullah/Geechee business owners very easy for you by listing some places and events where you can stop and and support Gullah/Geechee crafts artists, authors, restaurants, and entrepreneurs:

• Gullah/Geechee Visitors Center at 1908 Boundary Street in Beaufort, SC

• St. Helena Island Community Market at Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Memorial Park on historic St. Helena Island, SC on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm excluding July

www.sthelenaislandcommunitymarket.com

–Gullah/Geechee Bike & Beauty on May 20, 2017:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gullahgeechee-bike-beauty-tickets-33814139000?aff=erelexpmlt

–Sea Island Sounds Celebration on June 3, 2017:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sea-island-sounds-celebration-at-st-helena-community-market-tickets-33637151626?aff=erelexpmlt

–Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom on June 17, 2017:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/juneteenth-at-the-st-helena-island-community-market-tickets-33638283010?aff=erelexpmlt

–Gullah/Geechee Gold Rice Celebration on September 16, 2017:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gullahgeechee-gold-rice-celebration-tickets-33639130545

• The Gullah/Geechee Room and Gullah/Geechee Collection at the

St. Helena Branch Library 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Drive on St. Helena Island, SC

Join us as we launch the “Gullah/Geechee TV & Movie Club” at the landmark St. Helena Branch Library on Saturday, May 20, 2017: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gullahgeechee-tv-movie-club-launches-with-reconstruction-2nd-civil-war-tickets-33153279351

• Gullah Roots 2597 South Allen Drive North Charleston, South Carolina

• De Gullah Ooman Shop & Museum in the Georgetown, SC Historic District (843) 235-0747

• King-Tisdell Cottage Museum 514 East Huntingdon Street Savannah, GA 31401 Call for appointment (912) 335-8868.

• Beach Institute 502 E Harris Street Savannah, GA 30401 912-335-8868 or engage@beachinstitute.org

• Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum 460 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Savannah, GA 31401 · (912) 777-6099

• MJ‘s Soul Food Restaurant 1634 Sea Island Parkway St. Helena, SC 843-838-2009

• Hannibal’s Soul Kitchen Charleston, SC

https://gullahgeecheenation.com/2017/02/01/travel-channel-road-trip-to-the-gullahgeechee-nation/

• Chucktown Mobile Seafood Café follow them on Facebook to see where the mobile location will be.  Also, stop in to the café at 5093 Dorchester Road  Charleston, South Carolina.

• Dye’s Gullah Fixins 7605 W. Main Street, Ridgeland, SC  29936
Call ahead for reservations if you want guaranteed seating – 843-645-0806
Or Email: dye908@gmail.com

• Bertha’s Kitchen 2332 Meeting Street Road North Charleston, SC 29405 (843) 554-6519

• Martha Lou’s Kitchen 1068 Morrison Drive Charleston, SC 29403 (843) 577-9538

• Martha Lou’s Kitchen No. 2 Love and Happiness Catering  2000-Q McMillan Avenue North Charleston, SC

• Momma Lou’s Gullah Cuisine 102 Sea Island Parkway Beaufort, SC 29907 (843) 770-9988

• Jason’s Seafood and Wings 7 Robert Smalls Parkway Suite 1 Beaufort SC 29906 (843) 379-8257

• Shabazz Seafood Restaurant 502 West Victory Drive Savannah, GA (912) 777-7589

• Gullah Grub 877 Sea Island Parkway St. Helena Island, SC 29920 (843) 838-3841

• Purchase Gullah/Geechee Artwork in Charleston, SC from Quadré Stuckey and Chuma Gallery at the Charleston Market on Market Street and in Beaufort, SC at the corner of Bay Street and Charles from Lybensons Gallery & Studio.

• Destiny Community Café at Scott’s Grand 5060 Dorchester Road North Charleston, SC 29418 (888) 415-2224

• Harriet Tubman Monument Gullah Lowcountry Dinner Theater Fundraiser and Ground Breaking in Beaufort, SC: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gullah-lowcountry-dinner-theater-harriet-tubman-monument-fundraiser-tickets-34422790493

• Gullah/Geechee Down Home Party with the Legendary Archie Bell at the Touch of Class Convention Center on historic St. Helena Island, SC: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/archie-bell-on-st-helena-island-sc-in-the-gullahgeechee-nation-tickets-34270053653

• Gullah/Geechee Famlee Day at Mosquito Beach: 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gullahgeechee-famlee-day-at-mosquito-beach-2017-tickets-33510881950

• Gullah/Geechee Nation International Music & Movement Festival: www.gullahgeechee.info

• Gullah/Geechee Unity in the Community in Savannah, GA:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gullahgeechee-unity-in-the-community-tickets-33710522079

• Authentic Gullah/Geechee Tours done by natives of the Gullah/Geechee Nation:

www.gullahgeechee.us

Tenki Tenki ta hunnuh fa jayn we ya een de Gullah/Geechee Nation!  

Win hunnuh git ya we gwine be ya cuz we da de binya fa tru!