Fernandina Beach, FL, February 23, 2024 -- On February 21, 2024, Goldwater Ventures celebrated Gullah/Geechee history and culture at the American Beach Community Center and A.L. Lewis History Museum's main Black History event titled "From Carolinas to Florida -- Life in America: The Art of Survival." This event showed Goldwater Ventures' commitment to helping solve social problems and preserve critical cultural histories.
The evening began with a warm welcome from Avis Miller, the Mistress of Ceremony. Then, Rev. Christopher Fowler, pastor of the historic Franklintown Community Church on Amelia Island, delivered the invocation and led everyone in singing "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," also known as the Black National Anthem, written by Gullah/Geechee poets from Jacksonville, James Weldon Johnson and his brother J. Rosamond Johnson.
Kathie Carswell, a board member of the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Community Trust, Inc. (GGCCT) and a member of the Franklintown Community Church, introduced the theme of the Black History Month Program for 2024, focusing on the contributions of Black Americans to the literary, visual, and performing arts. Following her, Rep. Glenda Simmons-Jenkins, the Florida Representative for the Gullah/Geechee Nation and Executive Director of GGCCT, introduced the main presentation.
In her compelling 75-minute presentation, "Life in America: The Art of Survival," Queen Quet Marquetta L. Goodwine, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, invoked the persona of Big Momma, a matriarchal figure journeying north to impart crucial wisdom to her grandchildren. Through this narrative, Queen Quet underscored the existential threat to cultural continuity posed by the disconnection of youth from their ancestral heritage. Big Momma's message is clear: survival is inextricably linked to the sustainable practice of Gullah/Geechee culture.
Queen Quet's presentation delved into the essence of cultural survival, highlighting the critical importance of reconnecting with the roots of Gullah/Geechee identity. She emphasized that the youth must sit at the ancestors' feet, not just in a literal sense but also through engaging deeply with the history, culture, and languages that form the backbone of their Afro-Indigenous heritage. Learning and practicing the Afro-Indigenous languages and dialects is not merely educational but a form of cultural reclamation and survival.
The call to relearn and practice the skills and crafts of ancestors—growing food, cooking meals, sewing clothes and baskets, and engaging in fishing, shrimping, crabbing, and oystering—is a powerful reminder of self-sufficiency and resilience. These activities are more than survival tactics; they are rituals that weave the fabric of Gullah/Geechee identity, connecting the community to its history and the land.
Moreover, Queen Quet highlighted the importance of cultural expressions such as work songs, praise songs, spirituals, ring shouts, and celebratory dances and rituals. These are not just artistic expressions but vital components of the Gullah/Geechee cultural heritage, serving as mediums of storytelling, spiritual connection, and community cohesion. Through these practices, the community affirms its identity, celebrates its resilience, and educates its youth about their rich heritage.
A. Prince Albert III, founder of Goldwater Ventures and GGCCT Board Chairman, shared his family's 200-year history in the region. He spoke to audience members about his commitment to preserving Gullah/Geechee culture, stressing the importance of land ownership, investment in cultural resources like cemeteries, churches, markets, and community centers, and promoting the histories and heritages of Gullah/Geechee, African American, and Afro-Diasporic communities in Florida.
Under Albert's leadership, the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Community Trust has supported the community through coordinating legal services, advocating for cultural sustainability as the region embraces land development displacing Gullah/Geechee heritage, and other environmental and climate resilience projects.
Albert's dedication and appreciation for the histories of Franklintown and American Beach, communities founded by some of his formerly enslaved Afro-Indigenous family members, emphasize the importance of collaborative efforts to sustain Gullah/Geechee culture, African American history, and Afro-Diasporic community in Florida. Events like this, supported by Goldwater Ventures and GGCCT, ensure the Gullah/Geechee heritage is celebrated and passed down to future generations.
Citation
Goldwater Ventures, Goldwater celebrates Gullah/Geechee Culture on Founder's Home Island (Feb. 23, 2024), https://www.goldwaterventures.info/post/goldwater-celebrates-gullah-geechee-culture-on-founder-s-home-island.
References
Gullah/Geechee Nation, https://gullahgeecheenation.com.
Gullah/Geechee Cultural Community Trust, Inc., https://www.gullahcommunitytrust.org/home.
Franklintown Community Church on Amelia Island, https://www.facebook.com/FCCAmeliaIsland/.
A.L. Lewis History Museum, https://allewismuseum.org.
Comments