Anyone been to the Gullah Islands?

[Neuromancer]

The Gullah Islands are arguably the origin of Afram Culture. I went to SC last year but didn't get a chance to go to the Islands. I plan to go next year and spend a week down there hopefully.

Anyone ever been whether on vacay or to visit fam? How was it?

 

[ReasonableMatic]

I think the Gullah are super intriguing.

Gullah Creole being mutually intelligible with Creole languages from the Caribbean and Africa is beautiful shared African retention through language.

Yeah, this is because of the decreolization, being in such close proximity to English.

Caribbean Creoles overall don’t have that to that degree.

The South preserved the most Africanisms within America.

This directly translates to why Southern speech receives the most negative stigma and associations as a manifestation of ingroup internalized anti-Blackness.

Dismissing Africanisms as “country” with a negative connotation is taught self-hate by white supremacy.

Which is shameful, because AAVE originated in the South.

Within the South, Gullah retained the most Africanisms,
which is ofcourse because of isolation.

If you listen to Gullah, it’s easy to hear how similar it sounds to Caribbean Creole languages.

Which also isn’t strange, because there is a historical connection there because of enslaved Africans from Barbados being shipped there who spoke a Creole language already.

African Americans and Caribbean ppl are very connected historically wether ppl know it or not lol.

Caribbean Creole languages and Gullah are the closest thing to Krio from Sierra Leone and Nigerian Pidgin.

In the comment section of this video for instance,
you’ll see Caribbean ppl and West-Africans affirming they can understand Gullah and their linguistic similarities because of shared African rententions.

These dialogues and interactions are very important to be aware of and center for us as a ppl.



The connection to Krio from Sierra Leone explained here.

The connection to Nigerian Pidgin explained here.

 

[Neuromancer]

I think the Gullah are super intriguing.

Gullah Creole being mutually intelligible with Creole languages from the Caribbean and Africa is beautiful shared African retention through language.

I was watching this video and that reminded me of the confluence.

 

[Amerikan Melanin]

You better go before they are gone. CACs are buying that land at a rapid pace.

 

[Phitz]

yeah Gullah, Geechee, and parts of Louisiana are more Caribbean and African in personality/vibe than they are mainstream ADOS/FBA. They wear the ADOS/FBA badge but the cadence, personalities are "immigrant" like for lack of a better term.

they gonna come for me with that, but it's okay, part of me wants another good laugh today

 

[Neuromancer]

yeah Gullah, Geechee, and parts of Louisiana are more Caribbean and African in personality/vibe than they are mainstream ADOS/FBA. They wear the ADOS/FBA badge but the cadence, personalities are "immigrant" like for lack of a better term.

they gonna come for me with that, but it's okay, part of me wants another good laugh today

Do you feel that makes them less authentic ADOS/FBA?

 

[Phitz]

Do you feel that makes them less authentic ADOS/FBA?

I dont know what authentic means. ADOS/FBA culture is diverse and also very tribal(not in a bad way, low key). You have so many cultures that people came from but on camera everybody puts on the hip hop street uniform, when they know their grandmothers/grandfathers came from something completely "foreign" to the mainstream culture.

You got the north east coast(alot of free black non enslave descendents), Florida culture, midwest culture, the cowboy culture of Oklahoma and Texas(alot of free blacks non enslaved descendants). Tidewater culture VA, NE-NC, Tennessee/Mississippi/Alabama different from Louisiana, Texas, etc.

They all have different dialects and different ways to approach business, friendships, problem solving, conflict ect.

 

[Apollo Creed]

"Gullah Islands" you mean the Low Country?

 

[Neuromancer]

I dont know what authentic means. ADOS/FBA culture is diverse and also very tribal(not in a bad way, low key). You have so many cultures that people came from but on camera everybody puts on the hip hop street uniform, when they know their grandmothers/grandfathers came from something completely "foreign" to the mainstream culture.

You got the north east coast(alot of free black non enslave descendents), Florida culture, midwest culture, the cowboy culture of Oklahoma and Texas(alot of free blacks non enslaved descendants). Tidewater culture VA, NE-NC, Tennessee/Mississippi/Alabama different from Louisiana, Texas, etc.

They all have different dialects and different ways to approach business, friendships, problem solving, conflict ect.

Thank you. When I say authentic I think you covered it with the uniform and how 'foreign' a lot of older customs would look and be.

 

[Neuromancer]

"Gullah Islands" you mean the Low Country?

Some people call it that but I've never liked that term. Sounds like what they'd call black towns as a pejorative.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Some people call it that but I've never liked that term. Sounds like what they'd call black towns as a pejorative.

It means the literally lower part of the country though lol

 

[Phitz]

Thank you. When I say authentic I think you covered it with the uniform and how 'foreign' a lot of older customs would look and be.

I find the old AA cultures need to be preserved and brought back to vitality. I have seen some of this happening in the Carolinas with alot of black people getting back into horse back riding. The 'new' urban culture overshadowed and almost buried old traditional culture.

 

[Dont@Me]

Binyah Binyah!

edit- wait, this is a real place?!

 

[Voice of Reason]

yeah Gullah, Geechee, and parts of Louisiana are more Caribbean and African in personality/vibe than they are mainstream ADOS/FBA. They wear the ADOS/FBA badge but the cadence, personalities are "immigrant" like for lack of a better term.

they gonna come for me with that, but it's okay, part of me wants another good laugh today

Nothing about them are "immigrant"

 

[Phitz]

Nothing about them are "immigrant"

I knew you would materialize



I probably have more of a connection to the Gullah and Geechee than you.