Protecting Gullah/Geechee Sacred Grounds

Gullah/Geechee Nation ♦ April 16, 2021 ♦ Leave a comment

The Gullah/Geechee Nation is seeing an onslaught of disrespect to sacred grounds from the Carolinas to Florida as newcomers seek to build along waterways and in historic areas. As a result, native Gullah/Geechees are coming together to call on the world to stand with us to protect these sacred areas and to honor the ancestors and family that have been resting in these sacred spaces. To that end, we are calling on you to join in with the Gullah Society and assist us by being a part of a cemetery restoration project at the Morris Street Baptist Church in Charleston on Saturday, April 17th from 9 am to 1 pm.

Approximately 1/3 of a million people have now viewed this viral video shot by Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation (www.QueenQuet.com) at one of her family graveyards. Tune in to bear witness to the desecration and disrespect that is happening in the St. Helena Island, SC area and continue to pass this video around to your networks:

St. Helena and Polowana Islands are in Beaufort County, SC. The county is accepting comments on their comprehensive plan until May 7th. Please go to www.EnvisionBeaufortCounty.com and comment that you stand with the Gullah/Geechee Nation in the protection of all sacred areas especially burial grounds. Tell them that Gullah/Geechee culture IS the cultural resource of the county and therefore, special protection ordinances need to be put in place to insure that NO ONE attempts to build in or near historic sacred Gullah/Geechee burial areas. These areas are also part of the natural resources that the county claims it seeks to sustain.

In addition to making your statement known to Beaufort County, SC, please donate to the Gullah/Geechee Land & Legacy legal fund via CashApp $GullahGeecheeNation or at the Gullah/Geechee Land & Legacy Fund link on GoFundMe:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/gullahgeechee-land-amp-legacy-fund

Just south of Beaufort County lies Chatham County, GA where Savannah, GA is located. There are thousands of historic sites in that county and most of them have links to the legacy of our Gullah/Geechee family. The most extraordinary one is the site of The Weeping Time in West Savannah, GA. This was the location on which the largest enslavement auction in North America ever took place. In spite of the sacred and historic nature of this community, instead of placing a memorial and interpretive center at this location and providing for economic empowerment to that Gullah/Geechee community, the City of Savannah recently voted to allow the Salvation Army to bring in a homeless shelter and place it there after completing an archaeological survey. Tune in to learn more about this and and stand up with the Gullah/Geechee Famlee as we #WeepNoMore:

Make sure to sign this petition and and write to the Salvation Army National Headquarters to tell them not to build at the site of The Weeping Time:

http://chng.it/nJprVMqf

Gullah/Geechee Riddim Radio covered these issues last week, you can tune in to the broadcast here:

https://www.blogtalkradio.com/gullahgeechee/2021/04/13/gullahgeechee-burial-area-desecration-protecting-sacred-land

Both our radio station and Gullah/Geechee TV (GGTV) will continue to keep you updated on these issues. Also, follow www.Facebook.com/GullahGeecheeWEBE and @GullahGeechee on Twitter and Instagram. You can also go to www.GullahGeecheeLand.com to sign up to assist and also make donations to the cause.

We owe it to our ancestors to protect this sacred sand. Hunnuh chillun stand wid we @GullahGeechee. Take a stand for Gullah/Geechee land!