In the low country, Gullah refers to several things: language,
people, and a culture. Though not all speak it, most locally-
born African-Americans in the area understand Gullah. More than
300 years old, this rhythmic language has survived, in part,
because of the geographic isolation of the people who speak it.
Gullah (the word itself is believed to be a version of Angola),
an English-based dialect rooted in African languages, is the
unique language of the African-Americans of the Sea Islands of
South Carolina and Georgia. Descended from thousands of slaves
who were imported by planters in the Carolinas during the 18th
century, the Gullah people have maintained not only their
dialect but also their heritage. Much of Gullah culture traces
back to the African rice coast culture and survives today in the
art forms and skills, including sweet-grass basket making, of
Sea Islanders. During the colonial period, when rice was king,
Africans from the West African rice kingdoms drew high premiums
as slaves. Those with