“The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of Africans who were enslaved on the rice, indigo and Sea Island cotton plantations of the lower Atlantic coast.”

https://gullahgeecheecorridor.org/thegullahgeechee/

Many of the Geechee people were descendants of West Africa. Unlike the enslavement of the other African people, the Geechee people were enslaved on isolated islands. This led to the creation of their own unique culture. These islands are located along the coast of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Gullah is a creole created from various African and European languages. If its location in America wasn’t already a giveaway it is in fact the only distinctly African Creole located in America. According to the Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission, the modern Gullah art that we have today is largely inspired by the items that their ancestors made out of necessity. These things consist of fishing nets and wicker baskets. They also state that Gullah music has had influence in  different genres of music such as blues, gospel, soul, jazz, and hip hop to name a few. Their food has also had a major influence on the culture of the south. Their cooking style incorporated the things that were readily available to them such as fish being on the coast and the many imports that came from Europe such as hot peppers and yams. With their heavy background in African cultures many African seasonings were used in their cooking practices. Finally because on many of the plantations the Enslaved Gullah women were the cooks, these traditions have largely influenced “southern” culture. Lastly, we come to religion in Gullah families. Religion and Spirituality according to the Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission is very important. Like many Enslaved Africans the Gullah people were exposed to the practices of Christianity. They took some of these practices that were similar to their African rooted system of beliefs such as “belief in a God, community above individuality, respect for elders, kinship bonds and ancestors; respect for nature, and honoring the continuity of life and the afterlife.” The plantations would typically have a house for them to pray in and congregate for religious services.