National Park Service invites the public to celebrate Gullah heritage with free Saturday programs.
Celebrate Gullah Heritage! The National Park Service, in partnership with the Town of Mount Pleasant, is sponsoring a series of free cultural programs at Charles Pinckney National Historic Site every Saturday at 2:00 pm during February and March 2008.
Charles Pinckney, a principal author and signer of the United States Constitution, owned seven plantations. Enslaved Africans and African Americans on Lowcountry plantations developed a unique culture known collectively today as “Gullah.†Gullah people made significant contributions not only to the Lowcountry plantation system but also to American culture in general. A remnant of his Lowcountry plantation, Snee Farm, is preserved today as Charles Pinckney National Historic Site.
These Gullah programs range from craft demonstrations such as quilting, cast-net making, ironwork and sweetgrass basket sewing to cooking, African drumming and story-telling, folk-tales, spirituals and other musical performances.
Feb 9 Anita Singleton-Prather, “Aunt Pearlie Sue†Gullah Tales
Vera Manigault, sweetgrass basket demonstration
Feb 16 Sharon & Frank Murray, rice production
Paul & Loretta Hromoga, indigo dyeing
Feb 23 Ann Caldwell & the Magnolia Singers, spirituals
Jeannette Lee, sweetgrass basket demonstration
Mar 1 Veronica Gerald & Jesse Gant, Gullah cooking demonstration
Alada “Muima†Shinault-Small, African tales
NIA Productions, African drumming & dance
Mar 8 Vermelle & Andrew Rodrigues, quilting & toys
Vera Manigault, sweetgrass basket demonstration
“Sista, Sista†stories & skits
Charles C. Williams, cast-net making & woodwork