The 40th Annual Gullah Festival

Gullah Festival Couple

The Original Gullah Festival held in the antebellum city of Beaufort S.C began 40 years ago to preserve the culture of the descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans brought to the Southern United States.

Due to their unique expertise in the cultivation of rice and indigo, they were sold to work the Lowcountry plantations of St. Helena. Sapelo. Daufuskie. Hilton Head. Edisto. Johns Island.

Gullah is primarily of the South Carolina island while Geechee is of the islands of Georgia.

Situated in these isolated Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia they maintained their African traditions and developed the Creole language known as Gullah Geeche.  A blend of English with a mix of the African original words

“Each island holds the voices of ancestors, the rhythm of survival, and the heartbeat of Gullah life.”

“The geography shaped the culture.

The isolation safeguarded the language.

The land gave us a place to root, remember, and rise.”

www.gullahcelebration.org

Over 3 days The Original Gullah Festival it is a celebration of food, music, art and dance. 

Gullah Geechee Ring Shouters

Beaufort S.C. School Children at the Festival

Wona Womalon African Dancers & Drummers

Festival Organizers: Geneva Smalls, Sharon Joyce Millen and Scott Gibs

ELIMU: A program designed to illuminate the vital role of the Gullah people in the American Revolution

The Original Gullah Festival of South Carolina, Inc., in partnership with the South Carolina 250th  American Revolution Anniversary Commission

Church of Ease. St Helena Island S.C.

The Original Gullah Festival of South Carolina, Inc., in partnership with the South Carolina 250th  American Revolution Anniversary Commission, presented a full day experience of ELIMU: A program designed to illuminate the  vital role of the Gullah people in the American Revolution and provide cultural leaders with valuable  tools to share this history with broader audiences. Held on the Thursday before the annual Gullah Festival, this immersive experience organized by Dr. Pazanta Byars centered around the 2025 theme Da’ Gullah American Revolution Experience, and aims to inspire, educate,  and connect. 

I was honored to be selected by Dr. Pazanta Byars to participate in the ELIMU 2025 Excursion program to gain a more intimate and authentic knowledge of the Lowcounty and  Gullah History.  I attended the annual Gullah Festival last year and returned this year to further document the stories of the Gullah people. My current Peace Caravan Project focuses on the International Slave Trade and how the descendants of the enslaved Africans have  maintained their culture, traditions and how they influence us today. 

Early that May Thursday morning 30 of us gathered at the Black Chamber of Commerce for a continental breakfast before we boarded onto the bus for an excursion to Revolution era landmarks of Beaufort SC

Pictured above and below are two of these historic sites

Prince William’s Parish Church, known as Old Sheldon Church Ruins. Beaufort County S.C.

We rode 17 miles to north Beaufort County where lies the ruins of Prince William’s Parish Church, known as Old Sheldon Church Ruins. It was built between 1745 and 1753 in the style to resemble a Greek Temple with three-and-one-half foot thick walls it has withstood over two hundred fifty years of existence. According to historic legends the church was burned by the British in 1779 during the Revolutionary War. And was later burnt again by William Tecumseh Sherman, in 1865 during his march through the south.

From there we Traveled to St. Helena Island, along Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. to see the ruins of an old church; known as The Chapel of Ease. It was built to serve the local enslaved people being too far away from the parish church in Beaufort, to attend Sunday services. Erected around 1740, its tabby walls are made from lime, water, sand, and oyster shells. The Church was destroyed in a forest fire that happened after the Civil War.

Our two hour tour ended back at the Black Chamber of Commerce where we had a delicous luncheon .

Gullah Geeche Cuisine

Gullah Cuisine Luncheon

1. Chicken & Seafood Gumbo

2.  Fried Chicken

3.  Green Beans

4.  Red Rice

5.  Maccaroni & Cheese

6.  Toss Salad

7.  Sweet Potato Cornbread

8.  Peach Cobbler

9.  Peach Tea

Traditional Revolution Era Iron Works

After the ELIMU Luncheon we attended a special exhibition that brought South Carolina’s pivotal Revolutionary War history to life by centering the long-overlooked contributions of the Gullah people. Through interactive displays, live demonstrations, and hands-on workshops, we experienced a unique and immersive journey through time. Historical Artisans & Demonstrations given by skilled artisans showed us their crafts as practiced between 1770–1783. These workshops gave us insight into the role of these trades in Revolutionary-era life.

Julian Williams Blacksmiths demonstration

Arianne King Comer Indigo Artist

Shown here are two of the Artists whose workshops I attended 

Julian Williams Blacksmith | James Island, SC Mentored by legendary blacksmith Philip Simmons, Julian continues the Gullah blacksmithing legacy with live demos and engaging workshops where guests can create a project of their own.

Arianne King Comer Indigo Artist | Wadmalaw Island, SC A celebrated textile artist and educator, Arianne specializes in indigo dyeing and batik. With works housed in numerous collections, she teaches and exhibits globally, sharing the beauty and legacy of this ancient Gullah-rooted craft. 

The afternoon ended with a preformance by the reknowned Gullah Geechee Ring Shouters. These dancers from Darien, Georgia have preserved the ring shout dance which is an African cultural tradition. 

Gullah Geechee Ring Shouters

Celebrating Gullah Roots

The 38th Annual Gullah Festival was held at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront in Beaufort, SC. Attended by the people who identify with their ancestral connections to West African and are known as Gullah Geechee.

Geechee Artist Elle Bev exhibits her ancestor inspired paintings

Geographically the Gullah Geechee communities, both past and present day, extend from Jacksonville, North Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida. These communities began to develop their own way of life. They were living in isolated areas that were difficult to get to from outside towns, which made it easier for the community to become close and develop their own culture.  

Circle of Thanks with Thomas Roy Hicks, President (center wearing orange vest) and the team of dedicated volunteers

Some newly freed people like the Gullah Geechee, formed communities to help each other. The Gullah Geechee people created their own language from a mix of African tribal languages, English, and other European languages. Much of this language, as well as their art, crafts, food, spiritual practices, and storytelling continues today.

A crowd gathered around the great lawn to see the entertainers perform.

Freshly caught soft shell crabs get battered to fry

"During the early 1500's an enslaved labor boom led to what we know now as the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Ships would leave Europe transporting items such as fabric and wine to the continent of Africa where they would trade their goods for enslaved people. After leaving Africa, they would head across the Atlantic ocean. The journey was known as the Middle Passage. Conditions in the ships were dark, cramped, and dirty. Many people on the ships became very sick, making the journey deadly for many. When ships arrived in the Americas, the surviving enslaved people were sold. Empty ships would then be loaded down with sugar and coffee to take back to Europe. Once they were back in Europe the trade cycle would begin again.

The Trans-Atlantic slave trade transported between 10 to 12 million people!"

Handmade Dolls depict their African styles

"The fight for freedom was not over when slavery was outlawed by the 13th amendment in 1865. Many new "freed" people struggled for safety, security, and to make a life for themselves. Many chose to stay in the areas where they still did not have equal rights.

- NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resourses