When enslaved Africans arrived on these shores in the 17th century, they carried ancestral knowledge about rice production and cultivation, a practice that required the use of sweetgrass baskets for harvesting, transporting and storing the crop. In the centuries that followed, their Gullah Geechee descendants wove that generational art form, along with food ways indigenous to the Lowcountry, their language and other ancient customs such as singing and drumming, deep into the tapestry of American history. Significantly, as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary this July, the 22nd annual Sweetgrass Festival highlights the substantial ways in which African heritage has contributed to its evolution.
The concept of showcasing the sweetgrass culture in a festival format as a means for protecting, preserving and sustaining the Gullah Geechee culture was brought to life in 2004 by late town council member Thomasena Stokes-Marshall and a team of founding members. Michael Allen, who was part of that original group and is still involved from a PR and media perspective, works closely with Tracy Richter, events coordinator for the Town of Mount Pleasant, on promoting the event. Richter said, “The Sweetgrass Festival is the best gathering of local weavers who all have a story to tell.”
Allen added that this year’s Sweetgrass Festival, which will be held on Saturday, July 25, at Memorial Waterfront Park and is free to the public, will include educational opportunities and demonstrations held by exhibitors, basket weavers, artisans and performers. Gullah-influenced food will be available for purchase on site. While parking will be quite limited at Memorial Waterfront Park on the day of the event, there is availability at the adjacent Ferry Wharf Garage. Alternatively, free shuttle buses will run continually from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Riders are welcome to bring chairs and festival gear on the buses. The last buses leave the park at 3 p.m. Further details can be found on facebook.com/MountPleasantRec.
As another founding member of the festival, Freddie Jenkins is still involved as organizer of the Taste of Gullah gala that takes place at Omar Shrine Center the night before, on Friday, July 24, from 6-10 p.m. The seated dinner, catered by Buckshot’s Restaurant out of McClellanville, includes red rice, collard greens, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, black-eyed peas and bread pudding in the Gullah tradition. In addition to these culinary delights, the gala will also feature a silent auction, a keynote speaker, storytelling and music. The event raises funds for repairing the 1904 Long Point Schoolhouse, specifically to secure permits for replacing the structure’s roof and siding. Once the remodel is complete, the schoolhouse will be restored to an educational institution, teaching visitors about the transatlantic slave trade and its role in American history.
“As an immersive experience that takes us back to our roots, the Taste of Gullah sells out every year,” Jenkins said.
Tickets to the Taste of Gullah are $100 per person and can be purchased at aaschc.com. Donations to the Long Point Schoolhouse project can also be made on the site.
By Sarah Rose
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