Category Archives: Human Rights
Celebrating de Gullah/Geechee and Healing de Land & Family
March is “Gullah/Geechee Volunteer Month” and “Women’s Herstory Month.” Those that are interested in celebrating both and participating in events that are centered on healing can join Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation on historic St. Helena Island, SC in the Gullah/Geechee Nation for “Gullah/Geechee CREATE Day” and again as she provides the keynote at the College of William & Mary in Virginia.
Celebrate Living Black History in the Gullah/Geechee Nation!
empowerment and land ownership of Gullah/Geechee citizens. We welcome the entire African Diaspora to come out and join us in doing so at these events that will be held during February 2024.
Gullah/Geechee SEA & ME: Celebrating and Saving Coastal Legacy
The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition has always centered its work on ensuring that Gullah/Geechee land would be in Gullah/Geechee hands for generations to come. When we first started our work over two decades ago, I didn’t realize how true “De wata bring we and de wata gwine tek we bak.” would be. However, it is due the water’s consistency that we have witnessed the erosion of our coastline and also the rising of new collaborations within the Gullah/Geechee Nation.
Gullah/Geechee Cultural Protection Overlay District Supporters File Court Motions
On August 3, 2023 during “Gullah/Geechee Nation Appreciation Week,” four groups filed independent motions to intervene to defend Beaufort County’s denial of plans for three (3) 6-hole golf courses on St. Helena Island in the appeal initiated by Pine Island Property Holdings, LLC. The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition (filed by the South Carolina Environmental Law Project), The Penn Center (represented by Jack Smith of Nelson Mullins), Coastal Conservation League (represented by Ross Appel of McCullough Khan Appel), and individual landowners Leon and Joan Heyward and Robert New are fighting to uphold the Cultural Protection Overlay District zoning law.
Celebrate Victory with the St. Helena Island Gullah/Geechee Famlee!
Cum jayn de St. Helena Island Gullah/Geechee Famlee een a victory celebration July 29, 2023!
OCEAN-Ocean Community Engaging Action Now
Although I grew up living in the Atlantic Ocean on the Sea Islands of what is now the “Gullah/Geechee Nation,” no one could have told me that there would be global and national celebrations of this body of water. Of course for centuries, there have been traditional African rituals honoring the waters and the spirits of that element. However, when the world sits down to declare an international Ocean Decade, it seems that folks would immediately take notice. I guess I did because the survival of my people and our cultural heritage is tied to the ocean and the estuaries and creeks that flow to it.
S.A.L.T.-Saving a Lowcountry Treasure
Salt is not the only thing that adds flavor to the coast of the southeast. Gullah/Geechee culture is also quite flavorful not only due to the way we enhance our cuisine, but because of the vibrance and tastefulness that folks find unforgettable about us when they encounter us. One of the places that you will often find us is amidst the salt marsh casting nets or going after blue crabs or picking oysters to feed our families while breathing in the very air that feeds our souls. Like the spartina grass or salt marsh that is a major part of our ecosystem, we’ve migrated up and down the waterways and held in place a cultural landscape for multiple generations as our roots go deeper into the soil and we stand tall bringing healing to this land.
Gullah/Geechee Drums of Freedom Beating During Summer 2023
The dancing and shouting will continue during Gullah/Geechee Nation Appreciation Week on this resilient Gullah/Geechee Nation coast and we pray that you will join us here this summer in celebration of freedom in our powerfilled nation!
Celebrate St. Helena Island’s Gullah/Geechee Cultural Protection Overlay District Saturday, May 27th!
We STOOD UP for Gullah/Geechee people, self-sufficiency, cultural heritage, and rural lands. We STRENGTHENED the St. Helena Island Cultural Protection Overlay!
We thank you for joining this fight for the soul of our sea islands. Now, we invite you to celebrate a victory by attending the celebration on Saturday, May 27th!
Jayn we fa Gullah/Geechee Famlee Day 2023!
Jayn we fa de annual reunion of de Gullah/Geechee Famlee pun historic St. Helena Island, SC een de Gullah/Geechee Nation! E gwine be a time!