One of the highly recognized Gullah traditions is the food. Most of the slaves were brought to the area to cultivate rice, a task they already had experience doing. Rice eventually became a cash crop in South Carolina for almost 200 years.

 

Rice has always been a part of the Gullah daily diet. One pot dishes, which at times included rice, were common among Gullahs. As slaves, they were given weekly food rations and often combined these small amounts of food items together in one pot.

 

The enslaved Africans used the similarities between culinary environments of the Lowcountry and West Africa to create a food culture that has remained a part of cooking traditions, especially among African Americans.

 

 

Guests of Gullah Cuisine, on U.S. Highway 17 in Mt. Pleasant, walk in curious, wanting to know what Gullah food is all about. Charlotte Jenkins, owner and chef of the restaurant doesn’t like to refer to the cuisine as “soul food,” but “food that’s good for the soul.” The menu at The Gullah Cuisine includes: okra gumbo, Gullah rice, a blend of rice, tomatoes, sausage, shrimp, green peppers and onions, and seafood gumbo.

 

On St. Helena Island, Bill Green cooks up much of the same at the Gullah Grub, just a short drive to the historic Penn Center (the nation’s first school for freed slaves) and the Chapel of Ease. Green is nationally recognized as one of the few purveyors’ of authentic Gullah foods.

 

Veronica Davis Gerald’s descendants were from the Brookgreen Plantation in Murrells Inlet. Gerald, a Gullah cookbook author and professor at Coastal Carolina University, believes that Gullahs “also inject their spirit, energy into their food. We call it love.” Gerald wrote The Ultimate Gullah Cookbook after realizing that “the influence of Gullah people on the food culture was being lost under names like Lowcountry cuisine, Southern cooking and Lowcountry cooking."

 

The Gullah Language 

The Gullah language is a melodic blend of English and various African languages. Because enslaved Africans from different societies landed on the coast of South Carolina, a new language had to be created. Phrases such as how oonuh de do? (how are you?) and ooman (woman) are still spoken by Gullah speakers.

 

For more Gullah words and phrases visit A Glossary of Gullah Words, taken from The Black Border by Ambrose E. Gonzales.

 

The Gullah art culture is preserved in the beautiful artistry of sweetgrass baskets. The ancient African art of sweetgrass basket making is evident along Highway 17 in Mt. Pleasant and at the Charleston City Market. Slaves who worked the South Carolina plantations made these hand-woven baskets and used them to collect and carry vegetables and to store other foods. Sweetgrass baskets are made from natural plant materials—sweetgrass, marsh bulrush, long-leaf pine needles and the unopened center leaves of the cabbage palm.

 

The Gullah culture is celebrated throughout the year in South Carolina with several Gullah festivals.

 

A monthlong celebration held on Hilton Head Island in February, the Gullah Celebration includes a crafts and food expo, a Gullah film fest, and an art show and sale.

 

Beaufort’s annual Gullah Festival, held in May, is packed with musical entertainment, storytelling, dancing, artists, tours, educational forums, plays and pageants.

 

Everything from conch fritters to deviled crabs can be found at Daufuskie Day in June. It’s definitely a food affair with a mix of music and a historic Daufauskie Island tour.

 

Also on the island in the fall is the Daufuskie Autumn Festival, a fun family event that includes an oyster roast, local island foods, and arts and crafts.

 

The Heritage Days Celebration, held in November on the historic Penn Center campus, the first school in the South for formerly enslaved Africans, offers bateau making, quilting, basket making, and net making demonstrations, storytelling, singers, African drummers, an old-fashioned prayer service, a craft fair, a talent and step show, and of course, Gullah cuisine. This three-day festival on St. Helena Island is a fun-filled Gullah experience.

 

During the holidays, you can enjoy a Lowcountry Christmas celebration with Aunt Pearlie Sue, a storyteller and actress, and others. The event includes music, art, shopping and a Gullah Lowcountry buffet.

 

Visit South Carolina to learn more about our rich Gullah history. Next time you’re in or around Sullivan’s Island, Charleston, Georgetown, Hilton Head or St. Helena Island, look for Gullah-related events, attractions and tours.