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Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Press Releases

From the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition
14-15 December 1997

****FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE****

Contact: Marquetta L. Goodwine, Founder
Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition
AFRIKAN KULTURAL ARTS NETWORK(AKAN)
Phone: (718) 735-1259 or (212) 439-1026
E-mail: GullGeeCo@aol.com or AfriKuNet@aol.com
WWW: http://users.aol.com/queenmut/GullGeeCo.html

"Hunnuh Home": Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Center Continues to the Mission of Sea Island Survival

(14 December 1997 - St. Helena Island, South Carolina) "Mus tek cyear a de root fa heal de tree. " This is the slogan of the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition which has a number of South Carolina and Georgia lowcountry, and northern Florida organizations and individuals in its membership. These groups have combined forces with people and organizations internationally to fight for the preservation of the unique African cultures that exist in America on the Sea Islands in the states aforementioned. These cultures called "Gullah" and "Geechee" are being threatened due to commercialization of the islands.

In order to have a home base from which to continue its preservation efforts as well as to be a welcoming center to all that are going to visit any of the Sea Islands whether they are in Charleston or Beaufort Counties in South Carolina, Sapelo or St. Simons Islands in Georgia, or Amelia Island in Florida, the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition will open its "Hunnuh Home: Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Center at 3 pm on Sunday, December 21, 1997. "Hunnuh Home" is located at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive, Land's End Road, and Club Bridge Road on St. Helena Island in South Carolina. It is just up the road from the Chapel of Ease, a historic landmark on the "Hunnuh Home" is a historic event in and of itself since this date marks the one year anniversary of the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition. Also, there has never been a center with this focus before. The center will be continuous programs that link the youth and the elders of the community in efforts to preserve the cultural ties that still remain in the Gullah community in Beaufort County. There will also be on-going projects in conjunction with other organizations and centers that will link all of the islands in the Sea Island chain from Georgetown County, South Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida. The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition has been successful in making people more aware of the true history of the Sea Islands and the preservation efforts to have the entire area become a national historic preservation district and/or trail via their efforts on and offline.

The organization has the first and only list on the Internet which is dedicated to Gullah and Geechee culture. One of the primary online projects is called "We Chillun" which is dedicated to having youth learn about Gullah culture and connect with children that are in the Sea Islands. "Hunnuh Home" will be the main site where many of these children will eventually see each other face-to-face on youth retreat coordinated by the Coalition.

The "Hunnuh Home: Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Center" ribbon cutting ceremony is FREE and open to the public. There will be an opening tribute to the ancestors, words from members of the community, and special folklore musical presentations featuring the "Gullah Connection"'s lead bass player, Jerome Robinson, also a member of the Robinson Brothers gospel group of Beaufort County, SC and the director of the group, Marquetta L. Goodwine. Goodwine is a Gullah historian and folklorist who founded and heads the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition.

There will be dinners, books, and crafts on sale at the center on an on-going basis. The funds will go toward the various projects of the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition. Thus, the community is encourage to attend the event which will last for 1 hour and then to stay and have fellowship. For more information call (888)TRY-ISLE or e-mail GullGeeCo@aol.com.

****FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE****

Contact: Marquetta L. Goodwine, Founder
Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition
AFRIKAN KULTURAL ARTS NETWORK(AKAN)
Phone: (718) 735-1259 or (212) 439-1026
E-mail: GullGeeCo@aol.com or AfriKuNet@aol.com
WWW: http://users.aol.com/queenmut/GullGeeCo.html

"Celebrating an African Harvest in the Sea Islands, Home of the Gullahs and Geechees"

(15 December 1997 - St. Helena Island, South Carolina) The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition which has a northeast division in New York City and will soon have a homebase office on St. Helena Island in South Carolina has joined forces with several groups in the Beaufort, South Carolina area to put together a week long celebration during this holiday season. The festivities are all oriented towards unity within the communities of Beaufort County and most are set up for full family participation. The roster is as follows:

Sunday, December 21, 1997 at 3 pm Opening of "Hunnuh Home: Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Center" [located on Club Bridge Road at the Intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and Land's End Road also known as "Wiggin's Curb"] on St. Helena Island, South Carolina

Monday, December 22 and Tuesday, December 23, 1997 Ancestral Spirit Walk This will be a series of youth walks in different communities in order for the children to present items to the elders for the holidays. These walks will take place in various communities. Youth leaders are encourage to set up there own and contact the Coalition to assist them with it.

Wednesday, December 24-Thursday, December 26, 1997 Observances of Christmas Holiday with families and churches

Friday, December 26, 1997 "Jazz Fridays" 9 pm-1 am Admission is $5 This event which will happen every Friday begin on the 26th will be held at the Holiday Inn in Beaufort, South Carolina. It will feature poets and musicians from the Beaufort area. More artists are encourage to call and/or bring pieces with them to share that night. There will be dancing to the mix hout the night also. NOTE: The Coalition will support this event which is being sponsored by another organization.

Saturday, December 27, 1997 Noon-5 pm "Gullah Kwanza" at "Hunnuh Home: Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Center" This day full of activities will begin at Noon with a series of FREE crafts and Kwanzaa workshops for youths. The youth will be joined by adults of the community at 3 pm for an actual Kwanzaa presentation. The community will have an opportunity to learn the difference between "Kwanzaa" and "kwanza." There will be a closing "karamu" (feast) after the ancestral dedication ceremony that will close the day at sunset.

Sunday, December 29, 1997 from 6-8 pm "2nd Annual Community Kwanzaa Celebration" This event celebrating the African American holiday, Kwanzaa will take place at the Grand Army Hall in Beaufort, South Carolina. The event will feature various youths and adults from the township of Beaufort as well as St. Helena and Ladies Islands. The Robinson Brothers gospel group of Grays Hill, South Carolina will be part of the entertainment for that evening. Marquetta L. Goodwine, Gullah historian and folklorist will do a presentation on the principles of Kwanzaa. The event is FREE.

For more information, please contact the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition online at GullGeeCo@aol.com, call (888)TRY-ISLE, or come by "Hunnuh Home." It is definitely time to celebrate the continued harvest of African cultures in the lowcountry of South Carolina.

So, end the year uniting with people uplifting the community.