Contrary to popular belief, African Americans are by no means a homogeneous population. They are composed of a variety, of now overlapping, but originally much more distinct, ethnic strands. In coastal South Carolina, there are the Gullah people, and in coastal Georgia the Geechies. (The two terms are often used interchangeably.) The Gullah are said to be descended from the Gola people of Angola, and the Geechies from the Gidzi people of Sierra Leone.
The Gullah are the descendants of enslaved Africans who live in the low country region of the USA states of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes both the coastal plain and the Sea Islands.
Gullah culture has proven to be particularly resilient. Gullah traditions are strong in the rural areas of the low country mainland and on the Sea Islands, and among their people in urban areas such as Charleston and Savannah.
Gullah people who have left the low country and moved far away have also preserved traditions; for instance, many Gullahs in New York have established their own neighborhood churches in Harlem, Brooklyn, and Queens. Typically they send their children back to rural communities in South Carolina and Georgia during the summer months to live with grandparents, uncles, and aunts. Second- and third-generation Gullah in New York often maintain many of their traditional customs and sometimes still speak the Gullah language.
Pray for Gullahs to experience abundant life in Christ.
Pray for Gullah believers to stay strong in their faith and be a vital witness to their community.
Pray for Black Creole, Gullah churches to multiply and thrive, and to catch a vision for reaching out to people groups around them and around the world.