As the Gullah/Geechee Nation International Music & Movement Festival™ 2014 approaches, Georgetown and Beaufort counties and the Towns of Hilton Head, Bluffton, Port Royal, and the city of Beaufort and Charleston have proclaimed “Gullah/Geechee Nation Appreciation Week” from July 28 to August 3, culminating with the festival which will be held in Charleston, Georgetown, and Myrtle Beach. This will be the third year of celebrating the final week of July as “Gullah/Geechee Nation Appreciation Week.”
Queen Quet, chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, will personally participate in and host events in these three counties throughout the week of celebration. One of the major events will be “De Gullah Root Experience Tour” of historic St. Helena Island, which will include a visit to Penn Center — the first trade, agricultural and real school for freedmen.
Queen Quet also encourages all visitors to go to Gullah/Geechee historic sites and Gullah/Geechee owned businesses throughout the cities and counties that are participating. Each day of the week, historical information on these sites will be posted at www.gullahgeecheenation.com.
Those who are interested in the living traditions of the Gullah/Geechees should register for De Gullah Root Experience Tour by emailing the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition at GullGeeCo@aol.com or attending the “Gullah/Geechee Reunion Day” at the Charleston Maritime Center from 12 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 2. There will be a number of Gullah/Geechee craft artists and tradition keepers creating items on site and educating attendees about this rich living culture.
The reunion day will follow “Gullah/Geechee Nation Appreciation Night at The Joe” with the Charleston RiverDogs.
The day after the reunion, Sunday, Aug. 3, will be “Gullah/Geechee Famlee Day” in Georgetown and Myrtle Beach which will include special ceremonies at Georgetown historic sites where Gullah/Geechee family legacies began in that county.
Cum yeddi bout who webe frum de Gullah/Geechee! For more information, go to www.gullahgeechee.info, email GullGeeCo@aol.com, or call 843-838-1171.
