Tag Archives: sea level rise
Living Through Matthew in the #GullahGeechee Nation
As the coverage of #HurricaneMatthew continued and we prayed unceasingly for the islands of our kins people-Haiti, the Bahamas, and Cuba, we also prayed for all in this pathway of what was going to take every thing from the pages and the Powerpoint presentations of scientific reports and predictions about sea level rise and storm surge and place it on the center stage of real life after having rehearsed as theories. I wondered if the people that I worked with in so many meetings to discuss resilience and adaptation would now be paying attention to the cultural heritage aspects of all of this. I also wondered if equity entered their minds. SMH I continued praying while staying.
Uniting on the Shore of #GullahGeechee Due to the Rising Sea
Queen Quet is known for bringing together circles of people of diverse backgrounds to connect with one another on a wide range of issues. So, she is gladly returning back to the Gullah/Geechee Nation for “Hands Across the Sands” at Folly Beach on May 21, 2016 at 11:45 am in order to literally bring the hands of people together on the coast. She will be one of the speakers at this event as they draw more attention to the movement to prevent seismic gun use along the Gullah/Geechee Nation’s coast.
De Conch 2015 Golden Edition
De Conch is the international ezine of De Gullah/Geechee Nation. This publication was started by the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition. This year end edition celebrates the work the Coalition has done for 19 years. Ef bout we hunnuh wan kno, den yeddi De Conch da blo!
Rest or Run? Discussing Rising Seas and Relocation with the Gullah/Geechee Nation
The word “retreat” immediately invokes images of relaxation for me and many in the Gullah/Geechee Nation since people come by the tens of thousands to our homeland for just that. The fact that they have has led to the displacement of our people for those that want this to be their final place of retreat and relaxation for numerous reason. However, in this discussion that I was now being engaged, this word meant the other meaning that is not a part of my standard vocabulary-to run!
Gullah/Geechee Land, Legacy, Access, and Sustainability
As I engage in the work on behalf of my people, one of the consistent questions over the years has been one regarding access issues in the Gullah/Geechee Nation and in the more recent years, the questions have also been about sustainability of the Gullah/Geechee Nation which brings us full circle to “saving the Sea Islands.” The environmental encroachment due to overbuilding that has been brought into the Gullah/Geechee Nation (and is not an outgrowth of native vision nor design) is now met with the rising seas and a myriad of climate science issues that continue to negatively impact the waterways and shoreline which lead to negative impacts on the quality of life for Gullah/Geechees. It also affects the continuation of our cultural traditions and the protection of cultural heritage assets. In the face of it all, we are “resilient.”
Gullah/Geechee Surviving and Thriving as the Sea Rises
It took the waters coming down over and over again as the seas rose day after day for people to begin to pay attention to what we spoke of generations ago about not building in certain areas and not building out into our waterways…no one was prepared for the supermoon to be coupled with all of this when the rain started falling and falling and falling in South Carolina and graves started to wash out and the sands started to move and as the sands moved, the roads collapsed and as more sands moved the houses fell and the streets flooded and what they had built came down.
Don’t Drill Off the Gullah/Geechee Coast Ripples Like Waves as Climate Week 2015 Begins!
They stood together to once again say, “Don’t drill!”
Oil exploration off our coast will harm seafood, but that’s not all it will kill
The Gullah/Geechee culture is inextricably tied to the sea
Which is why “Don’t Drill” is the mantra in GA, NC, and SC!
Rising Tides Lifting the Boats and the Cultural Heritage of the Gullah/Geechee Nation
by Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation (www.QueenQuet.com) I have often heard the adage, “a rising tide lifts all boats.” Since I da an island ooman, this resonates with me each time that it is stated. As I look at the waves of emails that I am receiving regarding the latest issue of destructionment …