Paper short abstract:

Descended from slaves brought to the southeast United States, after emancipation the Gullah developed distinctive, culturally-expressive communities. Juxtaposed against their ancestor's plantation villages, present-day communities reveal strong connections to and deliberate creations of place.

Paper long abstract:

The Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia contain a culturally and ecologically unique landscape, spanning an area approximately 250 miles long and 40 miles wide along the southeastern coast of the United States. It is home to the Gullah, a distinct cultural group of African Americans descended from slave populations brought to the region from Africa and the Caribbean between the early 17th and mid 19th centuries. The manner in which these lands were settled, juxtaposing the cultures of land owner and slave on large agricultural plantations, reinforced by the physical and resulting social isolation, provided the environment for the development of this distinct cultural group. Throughout the period of slavery the Gullah developed a creolized culture with distinctive language, foods, religion, arts, music, folktales, and social structure that endure to today. While all of the expressions of culture have developed and modified over time, none has changed as completely as their home landscapes and settlement patterns. Imposed by the plantation owner during the period of slavery, village patterns changed drastically after emancipation. Under slavery the Gullah lived in rigidly geometric settlements. Although this pattern was the only settlement pattern the emancipated slaves had experienced, within the space of two generations community forms transitioned to organic, roughly circular settlements based on family relationships. The contrast of imposed and self-determined settlement form is a valuable case study in identification of the cultural expressions of place, space and identity.