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Gullah - an African Tree Grown in America - Page 2

© Virginia Marin

There is a strong belief in the spirit world as an extension to their faith. The wearing of sophisticated and highly adorned masks accompany dancing, singing and the telling of their folktales. Most of their customs were considered paganistic by the planters and were forbidden. Even today, if one goes to Charleston, Edisto Island or any of the Sea Islands, he can see doors and shutters painted a bright blue to keep out the evil spirits. These Sparits are believed to assume various shapes, some benign showing kindness and gentleness, while others--the malevolent, are bent on causing vicious ill will, spite, sickness and even death. After midnight, it is believed that the dead rise from their graves and walk in the form of goats, dogs and other animals. They, as well as human spirits, are frequently seen on the defunct plantations. The spirits are friendly to locals, but if an outsider intrudes they fade away in the eerie gray shadows of the moss-hung trees.

In a new book by Gullah artist Jonathan Green, Pat Conroy says of the Gullah in his forward: "They look like they got dressed while staring at rainbows." And that is how this contemporary artist portrays them. The paintings are lovingly touching and colorful; the book, a study of color. Pat Conroy understands the Gullah - after all, he taught school on Daufuskie Island, and he responds to this in his book The Water Is Wide. To see Gullah artist as they chant, sing work songs, tell folktales and sing gospel songs, go to Georgia Sea Island Singers. They perform dressed in brilliant dashikis as they share their stories and songs.

Another site of interest is A Little Geechee Space in Cyberworld, and Cornelia Bailey's Home Page. For dozens of interesting Gullah sites, go to www.google.com and search Gullah.

And for your reading enjoyment there are three folktales which I particularly like: People Of The Rock, which features the little people known as nunus, who are small shy creatues, friendly but unpredictable, and The Shape Changers, a tale of the Akamba people of Kenya. The third folktale is The Twin Brothers which is somewhat of a Cain and Abel story.

According to some anthropologists, the most fundamental tribal legacy to African-American life is the belief that personal strength and well-being come through communication. What better way to communicate than through music and folktales!

Dubh Sidhe
Edisto Island, South Carolina
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