The Root of Gullah

Now me know Gullah man
He stand long time
on rocky shore or
sand
He stand
tall and biggety--he own his life
No ship carry that away

Now me know Gullah woman
she hide her chillun
her pouty chillun
she mother hen
she mama bear, she bex
They no find babies
hid in fold of land

Now me know Gullah daughter
now me know Gullah son
Carry yo name on water
to Tybee Isle and
Jekyll, Sapelo, Ossabaw
or another one

Now me know Gullah story
The grains of rice crushed
for Gullah meal
the story bear witness
to glory
bear witness to
what was real.

Gullah Language
bex=angry
pouty=pretty
biggety=proud

Comments: 10

Patricia F. Mar 30, 2009, 11:23pm EDT

beautiful...i have been researching Gullah for a story...this rings so true

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Susan Budig Mar 30, 2009, 11:31pm EDT

Patricia, today I took my boys to the Children's Museum and they had a wonderful exhibit on the Gullah people. I read every word, wrote down all the language, and sat on the floor in front of the painted wall-map that identified all the Sea Islands. Tell me about your story.

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Jennifer Lee Mar 30, 2009, 11:58pm EDT

Interesting and beautiful, Susan. I enjoy your work very much. Thank you for posting to our group. The explanations at the end were helpful.

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Kathryn E. Mar 31, 2009, 12:03am EDT

Excellent. I looked up the link. Very, very well done. You are musical by nature; you have an excellent ear.

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JOHN BECK Mar 31, 2009, 12:12am EDT

I wasn't familiar with the Gullah culture. Thank you for writing and sharing this.

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St. John of the Cross Mar 31, 2009, 1:47am EDT

Thank you for your piece on this wonderful subject matter!

Father St. John of the Cross

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John F Walter Mar 31, 2009, 6:18am EDT

Susan, it feels like you really inhabited this Gullah people by invoking their language and their history through your speaker´s accounting--or rather, bearing ¨witness to glory¨--in their language.

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