Cum Yah Gullah Exhibit

Inspiring Songs. Candid Folktales. African Heritage Preserved.

Children’s Museum of Houston revives a piece of American culture through its retelling of the story of the Gullah

Exhibit debuts February 25 in celebration of Black History Month

Sponsored by Devon

In partnership with 97.9 The Box KBBX

Buried deep within the American tale lies the story of the Gullah. A vivid and fertile culture where the sounds of Michael Row the Boat Ashore flows through the salty air and clever little Br'er Rabbit taught the world brains are as good as might.  The roots of these mysterious, pleasant pieces of folklore can be traced back in time to a place where traditions thrived, family flourished in a unique new setting and hardships transformed into strengths of community.

Gullah is a West African culture that survived the hardships of slavery and remained almost unscathed until the 1950s when the Sea Islands were connected to mainstream America through bridges. Now, the Children’s Museum of Houston (CMH) is reviving the arts and practices of the Gullah people in a reinvented, powerful new exhibit, titled Cum Yah Gullah, opening February 25, 2012 through September 8, 2013.  The exhibit aims to preserve and provide cultural understanding of Gullah traditions, explore the geography and ecosystems of the Sea Islands and develop an appreciation for one’s own culture and background.

"Gullah culture is an example of how strong commitment to community and family helps people maintain their culture," said CMH exhibit educator, Bunmi Gaidi. "We aim to promote understanding and respect for this unique and diminishing American culture, which is in danger of losing traditions and customs if not preserved."

During the 1600s to the 1800s, millions of West Africans were enslaved throughout the Western Hemisphere. Of those taken to the U.S., most were stripped of their culture, language and customs and as a result, lost their homeland traditions.  However, Africans living on the Sea Islands, along the coast of South Carolina and Georgia, remained relatively isolated from mainland America. Thus, they were able to form and preserve a unique way of life that blended their West African heritage with European-American and slave traditions. This became known as the Gullah culture.

A CULTURAL JOURNEY

Isolated from the mainland, the Gullah people have preserved more of their African cultural history than any other segment of African-American people. In fact, experts believe 40 percent of all African-Americans are of Gullah descent and some may not even know what that is.  Cum Yah Gullah will build bridges into the ancestral home which exists in the hearts and minds of many Gullah people today.

"We want you to take away a sense of the origin of [Gullah] songs, culture, folklore and language, and gain a concept of their integration into American culture," said Gaidi. "Cum Yah Gullah (meaning ‘Come to Gullah’) will encourage you to cross mental boundaries as you seek to understand and appreciate this precious slice of American history."

THE GULLAH MESSAGE

Gullah heritage is distinct and is expressed in this exhibit through the culture’s unique customs, language, storytelling, music and more:

·         Experience Gullah life through the eyes of a child, as Deja walks you through her home on the Sea Islands

·         Sway with the rhythms of Gullah life through sounds, crafts and musical traditions and the Gullah influence of rhythm in popular music and spirituals in Praise House.

·         Enter the recreated, traditional Gullah Home where you’ll be able to engage in the everyday Gullah practices.

·         Discover as characters of Gullah tales come to life and learn how the Gullah folks entertained themselves through lively, storytelling in The Tellin’ Forest.

·         Head outside the home and experience how the Gullah people survived by gardening, catching shrimp, making nets and growing food in Livin’ off the Land.

Gullah culture has made important contributions to mainstream American culture and by exploring this rich history, you will be inspired to investigate and reflect on your own culture and the culture of others.

ABOUT Cum yaH gullah exhibit Advisors & Partners

Cum Ya Gullahwas created and developed by the Children’s Museum of Houston through partnerships with the following organizations:

THE PENN CENTER

The Penn Center's mission is to promote and preserve the history and culture of the Sea Islands. It serves as a local, national and international resource center, and act as a catalyst for the development of programs for self-sufficiency. The Penn Center operates the History and Culture Program, the Land Use and Environmental Education Program, the Program for Academic and Cultural Enrichment (PACE) and partners with the University of South Carolina—Beaufort to offer the Early Childhood At Risk Initiative.

THE GULLAH/GEECHEE HERITAGE CORRIDOR