Essay On Gullah Language

Gullah people are a group of people known for their rich language developed in the early years of slavery in America. Africans enslaved on South Carolina's Sea Islands created the Gullah language, and it is still utilized today in areas of South Carolina. During the rise of slavery in America, enslaved Africans created the Gullah language as a way of communication. People connected to this culture are a direct representation of the African slave’s rebellion towards the European slave holders. Slaveholders dictated everything slaves did, so they created a way to communicate in secret without fear of punishment. Paulo Freire says, “yet only through communication can human life hold meaning” (9). Freire’s theory can be related to the struggle of slaves …show more content…
Kelly note “… while there is no official language, there seems to be a consistent effort to locate a single culture with singular historical roots, no matter how mystical.” (36) For some people of African descent, Gullah is the furthest they get when researching their family history. The video assigned depicts a Gullah woman, Caroline White, who speaks of her ancestors and the history of the Gullah language. White was raised in a family where Gullah was the main language (Wikitounges). Therefore, White’s knowledge and consciousness of African history is heightened by her pre-adolescent environment. She became equip to resist the change her ancestors oppressors wanted to impose upon them. White is the manifestation of the resistance the Gullah people practiced daily. Due to that resistance, White can critically tell the story of her people. This enlightenment pressures scholars to reevaluate their perceptions on African Americans and their native language. White is an example of the influence the Gullah people had on future generations. She is a testament to the struggle of enslaved Africans and their efforts to preserve their cultural practices deprived by leaders of the New