Gullah Geechie Living On Daufuskie

How are you?
(Today’s English)

How oonuh da do?
(Gullah/Geechee)

I was born in Savannah, but for a time before starting school, I lived on Daufuskie Island in South Carolina. Daufuskie is the birthplace of my daddy, who was a dredgeman working in the Gulf of Mexico. Daddy thought it was a good idea to pull our roots up from Savannah and move us to his parent’s home on the island. But Mama was not a happy camper and expressed this to him more than once. Mama and Daddy now live inside of us (their children), and as I recall a brief portion of my experience on the island, I’d like to reflect on what they would say if they were still here.

“Nebbuh fuhgit de’ brid dat bawt oonuh tru’.” (Never forget the bridge that brought you through.)
On the island, Grandma and Granddaddy’s house seemed huge, so much bigger than where we’d come from. But there was something eerie about walking all the way back to the living room, where the piano was. No one would ever convince my siblings and me that Grandma and Granddaddy weren’t still in that living room “HAANTS.” And they played the piano at times, although Grandma and Grandaddy were dead!

Ivan and I are back home in Georgia after living in North Carolina for decades. We’re still married and loving each other after forty-four years (yes, you heard me right), 44 Big Ones.
Note: Staying happy for that many years was more than a small feat. As part of “A Full Circle Moments,” we’ll discuss relationships in our marriage blogs.
In 2018, I wrote the Second Edition of my sci-fi/fantasy book, The Legacy of Sadie Mae Stevens, Teen Super Hero, and based some of my scenes from experiences on Daufuskie.

And in the words of Madea: Hallelujer!!!

That’s enough about me for this post; let’s talk about heritage and how we must keep it moving so our children can be proud and have grounding. It all begins with Mama and Daddy: where were they from, and where were their parent’s parents from?
Note: In reference to our Mamas, it doesn’t matter her age at the time of death; for most of us, losing Mama is profound and will remain a devastating event.
That’s one way of saying it. Here’s another…
“It don’t matter when yo Mama died, the pain’ll neva run N hide.”
Gullah/Geechee History tells of the strength and resilience of a people who created a new language in a foreign, hostile land without forgetting their roots.
The Low Country—the land of my birth because of my ancestors, is all about the Gullahs of South Carolina and the Geechees of Georgia.
Who decides dat the time of a culture has passed?
It had its days, place, and purpose and can’t last
What race you know kin close the doo’ on their ancestry forevermore
Who decides dat dey Gullah/Geechee is no mo’?

I’m on a learning curve, but in the Gullah/Geechee language, I hear my grandaddy, my mama and daddy, I hear my uncles and aunts—I hear my brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. I hear me!
Great, courageous folks have walked this path
It’s up to us to make it last!

Through living out of state for decades: schools, work career, even Corporate America, I hear me, when I open my ‘mout,’ I hear my beginning.
No matter your place of origin or birth, remember those who paved the road before you. Join me on our journey of being proud of who we are.
Visit my bookstore and check out the Remixed 2nd Edition of my 2012 bestseller, The Legacy of Sadie Mae Stevens – Teen Superhero, and other titles. I’ve written my first non-fiction book, Blame It On The Feel Of Pain. Blame It is a hard-hitting self-help title chalked filled with truths each person gets to dissect for themselves. You don’t want to miss the chance to walk through experiencing Self-Healing with me as your guide!
Finally, in the words of my dearly departed daddy, Eddie Williams Sr., born on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, in 1929.

I ‘GERRING.’ (I’m going.)

I’ve also seen it written: I

‘GWINE.’