The Gullah or Geechee Community

The Gullah people of South Carolina and Georgia have a fascinating history and culture. Also known as the Geechee, the Gullah are descended from African slaves who were prized for their ability to grow crucial crops such as rice. Due to geography, their culture was largely isolated from white society and from other slave societies. They are known for having preserved a tremendous amount of their African traditions and language elements. Today, approximately 250,000 people speak the Gullah language, a rich mixture of African words and the English that was spoken hundreds of years ago. The Gullah are currently working to ensure that future generations and the general public know about and respect the Gullah past, present, and future. Geography of the Sea Islands The Gullah people inhabit many of the one hundred Sea Islands, which stretch along the Atlantic Ocean coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida. These marshy tidal and barrier islands have a humid subtropical climate. Sea Island, St. Helena Island, St. Simons Island, Sapelo Island, and Hilton Head Island are some of the most important islands in the chain. Enslavement and Atlantic Voyage Eighteenth-century plantation owners in South Carolina and Georgia wanted slaves to work on their plantations. Because growing rice is a very difficult, labor-intensive task, plantation owners were willing to pay high prices for slaves from the African Rice Coast. Thousands of people were enslaved in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, and other countries. Before their voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the slaves waited in holding cells in Western Africa. There, they began to create a pidgin language to communicate with people from other tribes. After their arrival in the Sea Islands, the Gullah blended their pidgin language with the English spoken by their masters. Immunity and Isolation of the Gullah The Gullah grew rice, okra, yams, cotton, and other crops. They also caught fish, shrimp, crabs, and oysters. Gullah had some immunity to tropical diseases like malaria and yellow fever. Because plantation owners did not have immunity to these diseases, they moved inland and left the Gullah slaves alone in the Sea Islands for much of the year. When the slaves were freed after the Civil War, many Gullah bought the land that they worked on and continued their agricultural way of life. They remained relatively isolated for another one hundred years. Development and Departure By the mid-20th century, ferries, roads, and bridges connected the Sea Islands to the mainland United States. Rice was also grown in other states, reducing the rice output from the Sea Islands. Many Gullah had to change their way of earning a living. Many resorts have been built in the Sea Islands, causing lingering controversy over ownership of the land. However, some Gullah now work in the tourism industry. Many have left the islands for higher education and employment opportunities. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas spoke Gullah as a child. The Gullah Language The Gullah language has developed over four hundred years. The name Gullah probably derives from the Gola ethnic group in Liberia. Scholars have debated for decades over classifying Gullah as a distinct language or merely a dialect of English. Most linguists now regard Gullah as an English- based Creole language. It is sometimes called Sea Island Creole. The vocabulary is comprised of English words and words from dozens of African languages, such as Mende, Vai, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. The African languages also greatly influenced Gullah grammar and pronunciation. The language was unwritten for much of its history. The Bible was recently translated into the Gullah language. Most Gullah speakers are also fluent in standard American English. Gullah Culture The Gullahs of the past and present have an intriguing culture that they deeply love and want to preserve. Customs, including storytelling, folklore, and songs, have been passed down through generations. Many women make crafts like baskets and quilts. Drums are a popular instrument. The Gullahs are Christians and attend church services regularly. Gullah families and communities celebrate holidays and other events together. The Gullah enjoy delicious dishes based on the crops they traditionally grew. Great efforts have been made to preserve the Gullah culture. The National Park Service oversees the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. A Gullah Museum exists on Hilton Head Island. Firm Identity The story of the Gullahs is very important to African-American geography and history. Its interesting that a separate language is spoken off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. The Gullah culture will undoubtedly survive. Even in the modern world, the Gullah are an authentic, unified group of people that deeply respect their ancestors values of independence and diligence.

Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart - 2424 Words

Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe (Published 1958) 1. Setting a. The novel takes place in the villages of Umuofia and Mbanta of the Igbo tribe in Nigeria at the turn of the 19th Century. It is a place where power and respect is important to the people of the tribe, as well as to the white men that invade their lives. b. This relates to the time period in which it was written because it is right when the Europeans began to expand and initiated their imperial quest through many places including Africa. c. The culture of the villages and the tribe of Igbo is especially significant to the setting because it shows that there was a life before the Europeans converted the Africans to Christianity and â€Å"civilized† them. 2. Plot a. Okonkwo is a respected leader of the Igbo tribe. He works hard and does not like to show emotion other than anger because his father, Unoka, was very lazy and not reputable. There is a dispute with another village where a woman is accidently killed, and Umuofia demands a virgin and a young man in place of a war. Okonkwo brings back Ikemefuna and takes him into his home under instructions from the village. The boy becomes like a son to him, but when it is time, Okonkwo kills him for fear of being seen as weak. Later, Okonkwo accidentally kills a young boy at a funeral, but he is exiled for seven years. While he is away in Mbanta, the Europeans arrive at Umuofia and begin to convert the Igbo people to Christianity. Just as Okonkwo returns to his village,Show MoreRelatedChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1719 Words   |  7 PagesThings fall apart is a classic novel written around the turn of the century, the novel focuses on the protagonist who we can also call a hero, Okonkwo. Okon kwo is a wealthy and respected leader within the Igbo tribe of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. Strong individual with a passionate belief in all the values and traditions of his people. Chinua Achebe presents Okonkwo as a particular kind of tragic protagonist, a great man who carries the fate of his people. Okonkwo is a man who is inflexible andRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1033 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Chinua Achebe is a famous Nigerian novelist in worldwide. Things fall apart is Chinua Achebe’s first novel published in 1958, the year after Ghana became the first African nation to gain independence. And this novel is one of the first African novels to gain worldwide recognition. (Phil Mongredien, 2010) This novel presents people a story of an African Igbo tribal hero, Okonkwo, from his growth to death. The fate of Okonkwo also indicates the fate of Africa caused by the colonizationRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart883 Words   |  4 Pagesdehumanize the native population and convince themselves that they are helping. Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart attempts to correct these misguided views of African societies by portraying a more complex culture that values peace, and the art of conversation. Achebe also tries to portray the idea that not all European people they come in contact with are aggressive, and misconstrued in their view of the African societ ies. Achebe tries to show us the value of his society through repeated views into conversationsRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1410 Words   |  6 PagesTeddy Manfre Ms. Blass ENG 209-001 April 24, 2017 Things Fall Apart In 1958, Chinua Achebe a famous Nigerian author publishes one of his most famous novels Things Fall Apart. The novel takes place in a Nigerian village called Umuofia. During the time that this novel is published Nigeria is being criticized by the Europeans for being uncivilized. In response, Achebe uses his brilliance in this novel to express the valued history of his people to his audience. His focus in the novel is on the pre-colonizedRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1015 Words   |  5 PagesIn his novel Things Fall Apart, author Chinua Achebe utilizes his distinctive writing style in order to accurately capture the culture and customs of the Igbo people despite writing his story in a foreign language. Five aspects of Achebe’s style that make his writing unique is the straightforward diction present in dialogue, the inclusion of native parables convey Igbo life authentically, the inclusion of native Igbo words and phrases, detailed descriptions of nature and the usage of figurative languageRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1702 Words   |  7 PagesTitle: Things Fall Apart Biographical information about the author: Chinua Achebe was born in Nigeria in 1930. He had an early career as a radio host, and later became the Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nigeria. After moving to America, he became an English professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Achebe has won numerous awards for his poetry and fiction, including the Man Booker prize and Commonwealth Poetry Price. He currently teaches at Bard College. Author: Chinua AchebeRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesCulture is an Important Element of Society Chinua Achebe is the author of when Things Fall Apart while Joseph Conrad authored Heart of Darkness. Conrad and Achebe set their individual titles in Africa; Achebe is an African writer whereas Conrad is Polish-British. The authors draw strength from their backgrounds to validity the authenticity of their fictional novels. Conrad writes from his experiences in the British and French navies while Achebe uses his African heritage. The theme of culture isRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1248 Words   |  5 PagesChris Lowndes Ms. Cook A.P.L.C. 21 October 2015 We Are Family: Hardships in One s Family in Things Fall Apart Specific attributes correlate with each other to help create or not create the ideal strong family. However, through those attributes arise conflicts and major disputes. This issue of trying to achieve and create a strong family is of immense importance in one’s life, especially in Chinua Achebe’s, Things Fall Apart, a milestone in African literature. For instance, the father leaves his legacyRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1682 Words   |  7 Pagescertain degree of the priest class, libation, holidays, creation stories, divine systems of punishments and rewards. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, is a story of tragic fall of a protagonist and the Igbo culture. Achebe demonstrates different examples and situations of where an African culture, in the instances of tribal religions, did certain things because of their tradition is and the way they developed into. African cultures pondered life mysteries and articulated theirRead Mo reChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1314 Words   |  6 PagesChinua Achebe masterpiece â€Å"Things Fall Apart† (1959) is the classic story of Okonkwo, a young man who strives to be revered by his village and family but because of his own internal character flaws meets his own demise. In the Igbo culture, family traditions are an important narrative throughout the novel. Okonkwo, the protagonist character of this story, begins with many attributes of what would be concluded as a hero with his cultural society. He is hard working, a material provider, feared and

A Comparison of Ozymandias by Percy Shelley and Suddan...

Compare and contrast Ozymandias and Saddam Hussein. The poem, written by Percy Shelley, Ozymandias is a Petrarchan sonnet compared to the second article labelled ‘Symbolic in more ways than one’ is actually a news article. This is shown through the piece as it contains a date ‘Thursday 10 April 2003, structure and content, the content is more modern so the audience know that when the subject is addressed, it will be serious rather than humorous. Ozymandias is a sonnet (a poem of 14 lines), although it doesnt have the same, simple rhyme scheme or punctuation that most sonnets have. Some lines are split by full stops and the rhyme is irregular at times. It is written in iambic pentameter, which Shakespeare used widely in his plays and†¦show more content†¦This is done through a narrative perspective to put emphasis on time and how it weakens. The newspaper article however is retelling the true life events on what happened over there, to show the views of some people towards the Saddam Husseins statue which th ey feel as its really him. This is mixed with humour however, this shows how symbolic the statue was, but its more serious than the poem as it gives a detailed description of what happened rather than using loads of similes which could mix up the message they want to get across. Both pieces overall reveal what power has done to individuals, that even though they had it all, it will come to an end, no matter how hard they try to make a difference, then they will be mocked for it as they werent supreme beings, they just had a very closed minded view of the world. The poem has a phrase near the end which says ‘Nothing besides remains’. This highlights the message of the poem, which is basically saying that this statue of Ozymandias has no power and this is what remains of him. This shows that the writers view on power is that there is more power from the sculptor, as he is more recognised for his/her good craftsmen ship of the statue rather than the person it is based on, that after all of this time, the sculptor has more of an effect than Ozymandias has. Unlike the poem, the news article contains humour and is not as serious some times as the writings by Shelly, this is to show how stupid those

Stock Picks Essay Example For Students

Stock Picks Essay Term PaperBefore I recommend a security, it is necessary for me to establish a few assumptions about the nature of my investment perspective. I am 22 years of age and therefore am less averse to risk. Therefore, my investment time horizon is very long due to my age. My first stock pick is based upon the previous assumptions and also the following one; Economic activity proceeds at a brisk rate as in 1999. Since this would indicate a bull market, I would choose a stock in the technology sector. I choose Gateway, ticker symbol (GTW). In the months to come, this company will start flooding the market with what is known as Internet Appliances, or IA’s. These are inexpensive network computers with the network being the Internet. They will cater to consumers who want Web access but don’t want the cost, technical problems, and maintenance that comes with a PC. However. That doesn’t necessarily mean PC’s are going away in the foreseeable future Gateway plans on making profit from these IA’s by signing deals with communications giants like America Online to be ISP’s. GTW recently traded at $56 a share, with a P/E of 30.6. This equals an EPS of $1.83. In my next stock-pick, I still presume the assumptions in the first paragraph, and also I need to make a different assumption; Continued economic growth leads to an inflationary environment in 2000. For these economic conditions, I feel United Technologies Corporation, symbol (UTX), is an appropriate stock. One of the 30 stocks on the Dow Jones Industrials, United Technologies Corporation, based in Hartford, Connecticut, provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the building systems and aerospace industries. Those products include Pratt Whitney aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines; Carrier heating, air conditioning and refrigeration; Otis elevator, escalator and people movers; Hamilton Sundstrand aerospace and industrial products; Sikorsky helicopters and International Fuel Cells power systems. In the news May 3, 2000, â€Å" Otis Elevator Co. landed a contract Tuesday worth more than $8 million to supply 31 elevators to the Hearst Tower building in Charlotte, N.C.† This is indicative of the activity this company will have into the future time horizon of the next few months. Thus being a blue-chip stock, it has been relatively stable the past few years as compared to the SP 500. In fact it has outperformed it consistently the past 5 years. The following graph indicates this point. As of April 28, 2000, UTX was trading at $62.19. In April of 1990, UTX was trading at around $13.65 a share. So by judging from the stability of this company one would expect, and rightfully so, this company to pay dividends. The last quarter ( Q 1 2000) will pay a dividend of $.20. In times of recession, a stock paying a regular dividend will appreciate in price. With UTX being at its 52-week low about a month ago at $46.50, the capital gains could at least be expected in the next couple of weeks. Interestingly enough, its 52-week high was almost exactly 52 weeks ago on May 11, 1999, at $75.97. Its P/E was 20.06 on April 28, 2000. This translates into an EPS of $3.10. UTX had a 17 percent increase in first quarter diluted earnings per share to $0.74 versus $0.63 in the prior year. Diluted earnings per share means all convertible securities and warrants are assumed to be exercised when they are reported in the companies’ financial statements. At the end of quarter 1, 2000, net income was $377 million, 22 percent above the $308 million reported in 1999. Revenues for the quarter were $6.4 billion, 17 percent higher than the prior year. Debt to capital ended the quarter at 38 percent, unchanged from the end of 1999. This is a favorable indicator, since increasing this ratio naturally indicates increased debt. I feel UTX is a generally wise purchase all around if you are looking for a generally safe stock. Its beta is .94, which means it is less volatile than the market and less subject to dramatic price fluctuations. I had the opportunity to have a tour of Sikorsky Aircraft located in Stratford, CT, as my Uncle is employed there. Sikorsky, which is a division of UTX, is a defense contractor. During periods of inflation, a period of recession is sure to follow. Defense stocks are desirable to have in one’s portfolio during recessions, and the time to buy them would be before a recession, hence purchase during inflationMy final stock pick once again as sumes the aforementioned circumstances in the first paragraph and one other: Year 2000 computer problems lead to a deep recession in 2000. If it is in fact the middle of a deep recession, you are probably most concerned about meeting those expenses necessary for sustenance. If, however, a stock were needed to be purchased now in anticipation of a deep recession, I would buy any blue-chip stock. Since I must pick one, I think Enron ( symbol ENE) is a relatively stable choice. Enron is in the natural gas and power market. Since the recent rise in prices of petroleum products, natural gas is looking more and more attractive. They also happen to be building a 20,000 mile fiber optic communication system with Sun Microsystems. As of January 28, 2000. Its price was $64.88 with a P/E of 43.6. Those numbers rose to $76 and a P/E of 62 on May 3, 2000. That is already a substantial increase in the first quarter of 2000. However, I feel the stock is undervalued. Fiber optics will be increasing in demand in the next few years once broadband width is increased. With a head start ENE has in size and reach, this stock will be one to hold onto, even if a recession is to hit. Since it is in natural gas already, with a growth rate of 17% per year, those numbers are in fact only based on that sector of industry. Where it will emerge as a real winner will be in fiber optics as I already mentioned. I feel the price does not reflect that too accurately. .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 , .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 .postImageUrl , .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 , .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857:hover , .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857:visited , .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857:active { border:0!important; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857:active , .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857 .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u49d1ca02f9294eee67fe7b4128a05857:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Pornography - Its Place In Our Society EssayBusiness