Comments on: Come Jine We.

Come Jine We.

moonbird — Mon, 10 Nov 2003 14:34:14 -0800

D'you know about the Georgia and Carolinas' sea island culture of the Gullah? Mostly known for their crafts which can fetch a pretty penny, the Gullah way of life (which may be endangered) is an interesting synthesis of American and African culture. They speak a unique dialect of English, which you can hear with Aunt Pearlie-Sue's folktales. Of course, there's the food... check out the recipies for Frogmore Stew and other classic island cuisine.

By: Hildegarde

Hildegarde — Mon, 10 Nov 2003 14:47:54 -0800

Yeah, I dated one of them once. Not a great experience, but I don't hold it against them.

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Mon, 10 Nov 2003 16:09:28 -0800

Steamer Pub on Lady's Island in Frogmore, SC serves the best Frogmore Stew.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Mon, 10 Nov 2003 16:26:58 -0800

Daughters of the Dust is a worthwhile movie about the Gullah culture as well. Thanks for the links moonbird.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Mon, 10 Nov 2003 16:27:05 -0800

I believe Pat Conroy's The Water is Wide (Amazon link) is about the gullah culture. Like all Conroy books, it is a good read.

By: Etaoin Shrdlu

Etaoin Shrdlu — Mon, 10 Nov 2003 16:47:43 -0800

I've been interested in Gulla culture since getting my hands on a copy of the Smithonian Folkways CD Been in the Storm So Long. Great folk songs and stories, and you might recognize some samples from various Brian Eno and David Byrne albums.

By: Mayor Curley

Mayor Curley — Mon, 10 Nov 2003 17:00:45 -0800

Very, very neat set. I've got to point out, though, that the Gullah speak neither a "dialect of English" (as the post states), or a "creole language" (which one of the links states and is really an oxymoron). The Gullah speak a creole, which means an amalgam of two or more different languages. In this case, it's english and one or more west african languages. It isn't a dialect of english because it's fundamentally different in structure. A dialect can be only slightly variating in structure. (Sorry that I'm anal about that.)

By: jennak

jennak — Mon, 10 Nov 2003 18:00:32 -0800

I learned about Gullah culture thanks to Gullah Gullah Island, what was once a fantastic show on Nickelodeon that won several NAACP Image Awards.

By: moonbird

moonbird — Mon, 10 Nov 2003 20:02:40 -0800

Stbalbach: I was just at Bowen's Island restaurant near Charleston SC and apparently they served the worst Frogmore, ever, FWIW.

By: plep

plep — Mon, 10 Nov 2003 22:53:15 -0800

[good post]

By: me3dia

me3dia — Tue, 11 Nov 2003 08:58:46 -0800

One of my cousin-in-laws is Gullah. She's got some fascinating stories to tell. Mama Day is a novel set on a fictional Gullah island. It's a powerful book.