Unit 11 3-5: Learning Plan

Content Background

Deep in the low country of South Carolina and Georgia, a culture thrives that has survived since the origin of the United States. Known as the Gullah people, these men and women have a strong history and a link to Sierra Leone in Africa. They live on islands along the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia; however, their influence extends as far north as North Carolina and south as Florida. They are known for preserving their African heritage more than any other African-American community in the United States. Due to a similarity in the climates of the South Carolina region and Sierra Leone, colonists chose to request enslaved Africans from that region. These slaves often had immunity to diseases that were deadly to European colonists, such as malaria and yellow fever. Many colonists fled the coast and went to cities such as Charleston and Beaufort during the summer months when there was an increase in the mosquito population, spreading such diseases. The slaves, unaffected by the deadly diseases, remained in the area. They were able to practice their beliefs and culture due to very little white influence, making them very different from most other Southern slaves. Still surviving today, many of them live with African traditions and customs. They are also known as the Geechee, especially in Georgia. The Gullah people are a unique society with a strong cultural heritage.

The Gullah culture is truly a remarkable story. They have maintained African traditions and customs despite being removed from their ancestral homeland and influenced by others in the United States. They are known for preserving more African heritage than any other African-American community, including much of their language, art, and food. Through the years, their isolation has broken down as many have moved away from the rural location of the Gullah in search of education and other careers. In addition, bridges, television, roads, and ferries have now broken down their isolation, allowing more visitors to the Gullah community. Nevertheless, those who move away often return for important events and to expose their children to the Gullah heritage. Most Gullah people pride themselves on holding on to their unique identity and maintaining their cultural traditions.

Learning Activities

1. Direct Instruction
   1. Run this skit before you begin a lesson on slavery in the colonies or when looking to connect today with the past. The day before class, give students the background story about the Gullah and the directions for the skit.
      1. Assign parts to students in the class.
         1. There are eight characters.
         2. Again, two students for each character.
   2. When you have more than 16 students, give different students different lines from the highlighted characters.
   3. Tell the students they will perform a short play.
      1. The first time you do this, you can have the students read their parts from their desks.
      2. Students can perform the skit in front of the class when they conduct subsequent skits.
         1. With later skits, students can bring costumes and props to class.
   4. Many classes have performed these vignettes before studying many topics.
      1. Teachers have introduced a topic with this type of skit. 
      2. Students take ownership of the topic.
         1. They become interested in the individuals. 
   5. Students will conduct a skit, enacting a family’s visit to their grandfather in the Gullah community.  
      1. Students should read the skit and be familiar with their lines for assignment. 
2. Guided Practice
   1. Students will conduct the Gullah skit during the class.
3. Gullah Assignment
   1. Students will write a paragraph explaining whether they believe there is value in maintaining traditions.
      1.  They will explain why they think traditions are valuable or why they are not
   2. They will add a paragraph explaining what family tradition they want their family to maintain.
   3. Grade using the Rubric
4. Closure
   1. In a class discussion, ask students to tell the class how they felt when they listened to the grandfather explain traditions.
   2. Ensure they understand that the Gullah tradition survived because they lived in isolated communities. 

Suggested Pacing Guide

Two 45-minute classes

Resources

Emory Campbell. Gullah Cultural Legacies: A Synopsis of Gullah Traditions, Customary Beliefs, Art Forms and Speech on Hilton Head Island and Vicinal Sea Islands in South Carolina and Georgia, March 28, 2008.

Tyler E. Bagwell. Gullah Geechee Heritage in the Golden Isles, August 12, 2019.

Jessica Berry. The Little Gullah Geechee Book: A Guide for the Come Ya. February 9, 2020.

Lorenzo Dow Turner. Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect, July 1, 2002.

William S. Pollitzer. The Gullah People and Their African Heritage, December 5, 2005

Charles River Editor. The Gullah: The History and Legacy of the African American Ethnic Group in the American Southeast, October 22, 2019.