50@50 – St. Helena, SC
It is late fall, and the opportunity to explore the Carolinas presents itself. I’d visited the South Carolina coast before, but I wanted to see it with new eyes. Landscape is “a complex repository of society and archive of tangible evidence about our character and experience”[*] – few places more so than here in the heart of the Gullah.
Local and official documents conflict a bit, but “Gullah Geechee” generally refers to the Black Americans who are directly descended from the slaves who were brought here in the 1700’s from the rice and indigo growing regions of West Africa. They have preserved more of their African Heritage than any other group of African descent in America. The Gullah language, evolved from a fusion of English and various west African languages (primarily Sierra Leone) is recognized as a legitimate separate language.
Over the past few decades, threats to its continuance have emerged. In 2006, Congress designated the land from Wilmington North Carolina south to Jacksonville, Florida as the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. As one of only a handful of such designations in America, the National Park Service is to lay out a plan, in early 2012, to allocate $10 million in resources for this corridor. I wanted to visit the coastal islands of St. Helena and Edisto to better understand this vibrant and evolving culture before federal changes are enacted.
The Sea Islands, as they are collectively called, are a chain of tidal barrier islands numbering nearly 100. Low and flat, most have wide sandy beaches, saltwater marshes and semi-tropical vegetation. The Spanish set up missions in these islands, but ceded them to the British, who desired to control the southern sector of America for agricultural potential, in 1763. The Edisto Indians sold their island to the British in 1674.[†] The lure for English colonists was religious and political freedom, but primary objective for this land – with its long growing season – was to grow, ship, sell! The colonists initially struggled agriculturally, but about 1700, they discovered that the marshy environment was ideal to produce rice; unfortunately, they lacked the skills to do so.[‡] Thus, they targeted enslaving people form the western African rice growing regions who brought with them the knowledge, tools, Doris Reynolds: Gullah fests – GoNaples.com and skills to work newly developed rice plantations.
Geographically isolated, with no urban centers, the islands and its people lived in response to the cycles of the seasons and the whims of the sea. The Africans brought with them strong values of community and spirituality. After the Civil War, when many planters sold and/or abandoned their plantations, the freed slaves, turned to the land and the sea, developing thriving agricultural and fishing communities. However, where one sees swamp, another sees beachfront property; thus land loss to developers has and continues to threaten the culture of the Gullah Geechee.
In 1862, the Penn School was established on St. Helena as an experimental model to educate the former slaves of the Sea Islands. Its curriculum evolved over the years to reflect the changing needs of its community within the context of a larger society, focusing on both tradition and the students’ contribution to the future. I’d been to the Penn Center (no longer a school) before. Its role and achievements, which is exhibited in its museum, are of national significance. But on this trip, I realized that my previous impressions had been shallow; I had observed and interpreted with 21st century hindsight and with perspective of one who has experienced virtually no social barriers! Working to remove those filters, this visit was vastly different – like a light bulb went on.
My realization was assisted by a very kind woman in a gallery down the street, who had grown up in St. Helena. I’m sure I stuck my foot in my mouth a few times asking all my questions. As I was looking at some paintings of crows, she said it isn’t easy to tell the difference between crows and ravens – some people believe ravens carry good spirits on their wings, so perhaps we should see them as if they are all potentially ravens. Back in my car, I’m thinking “What if we all did that?” It was an amazing moment. Best known for exceptionally woven sweetgrass baskets, the art and music of the region truly expresses life experience. Paintings expressively depict people – in social events or interacting with the landscape in everyday activities, like fishing and farming.
There are so many opportunities for exploration along these islands – many state parks and wildlife refuges. Just a few miles from St. Helena lies Hunting Island State Park with several trails ranging from .25 to 2.3 miles long. I took the short Marsh Boardwalk trail which connects hard surface “islands” out into the marsh. Next, exploring portions of the Lagoon and Forest trails, I noted that all were fairly easy. The vegetation shifts between moss draped oaks to tall pines graduating to Palmettos within a short ½ mile distance. Even in late fall, the number and variety of birds was extraordinary. But the sea is slowly reclaiming this island.
When meandering to the low country, visitors focus on the obvious cultural attractions of Charleston and Savannah or the gorgeous area golf resorts. But the heart of its culture – its direct linkage to its heritage – seems to beat here.