Gullah Language: Preserving an Identifiable Dialect

Preserving the traditions of cultures is practiced among people from various backgrounds. Folklore, recipes, and spiritual practices are some of the things that are passed down from generation to generation. One unique cultural trait of the people in the Sea Islands of Georgia and Coastal South Carolina is the Gullah Language.

The Gullah language is spoken by the Gullah/Geechie people who descend from Africans who were brought to the Southern regions during slavery. The Gullah language is derived from a combination of West African and English language and is sometimes referred to as Sea Island Creole. Africans from various parts of the continent created the Gullah language as a common way for them to communicate with each other. These combined African languages birthed a distinct and identifiable dialect for the people of the Sea Islands.

The language is still used today in the Gullah communities as a way of celebrating their culture and heritage. Professor Sunn m’Cheaux is the first Gullah language instructor at Harvard University. Professor m’Cheaux is a descendent of Gullah/Geechie parents and was raised in rural South Carolina. He is a native of the Gullah/Geechie community and has personal and extensive knowledge of the heritage of the Gullah language.

Though the Gullah language is derived from the traditional English language, some of the African words have been preserved. For example, the word “turtle” in the Gullah language is “cootuh”. Other words such as “behibe” are closely related to the English term “beehive”. While closely related, it is the unique accent and dialect that creates a vast difference in the traditional language.

There are various annual celebrations of the Gullah language and culture throughout South Georgia and Coastal South Carolina. These festivals are a way of preserving the history and teaching younger generations about their Gullah heritage. On Sapelo Island, GA, the Gullah language was celebrated at the island’s fall festival. Residents of Hog Hammock, the last living Gullah community on Sapelo Island, told stories in the Gullah/Geechie language. In Beaufort, SC, an annual Gullah Festival is held where arts, crafts and books written in the Gullah language are sold. On St. Helena Island, SC, the annual Heritage Day Festival is held at the historic Penn Center. Penn Center is the site of the former Penn School, one of the country's first schools for formerly enslaved individuals. A Gullah version of the New Testament of the Bible can be found at this historic site.

Although the land of Gullah/Geechie communities are being gentrified and threatened by spiked property taxes, the Gullah language is still used amongst families and community members. Generations raised in these families continue to pass down the unique dialect of their ancestors which identifies their heritage and culture.