Gullah fests celebrate rich roots

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Gullah fests celebrate rich roots
February 16, 2011
By DORIS REYNOLDS
naplesnews.com

At the ripe old age of 13, I had a culinary epiphany. One taste of shrimp and grits, fried chicken, zesty macaroni and cheese, turnip greens, green beans cooked with salt pork or bacon and I was a convert to Southern cooking.

While living in the South’s grand old Charleston, S.C., my Yankee roots still were evident, but my appetite craved those rich and satisfying calorie-laden vittles.

The Low Country was a mysterious territory that beckoned me to take numerous forays into tiny enclaves that tenaciously held onto the past. My favorite destination was the isolated island of Daufuskie. Located just off Hilton Head, the island was accessible only by boat and was occupied by an enclave of descendants of freed slaves who chose to retain their African heritage.

It has been a very long time since my last visit, but the memories are fresh and alive. Even in those days, Hilton Head attracted the upper crust, while Daufuskie slumbered on, inaccessible and unknown by developers and those seeking a hidden nirvana.

However, much has changed on the idyllic island. Yes, developers and the rich and famous discovered the charm and isolation so coveted by so many and the island has been divided into five parts. There are five resorts and private residential clubs on the island which has resulted in a considerable tax increase for property owners. This includes many of the descendants of the original settlers.

Noted author Pat Conroy once taught school on Daufuskie and wrote of his experiences on the island in his book, “The Water is Wide.” Jimmy Buffett originated the song for “The Prince of Tides” and also became interested in the plight of the not-so-rich residents. They are partly responsible for the Gullah/Geechie Cultural Preservation Act, which will establish a heritage corridor to help preserve one of the oldest original cultures in the country.

The original Gullah were African slaves who were brought to the South from West Africa. Determined to retain their original religion and culture, the slaves created their own language, folk tales and superstitions, and this unique culture became known as Gullah. Since the slave owners refused to permit them to use their native language, they developed a dialect that incorporated English and their native tongue.

The Gullah dialect has survived as a “creolized” version of English. John Henrik Clarke, a noted scholar of African and African-American history, has stated that the survival of African people away from their ancestral home is “one of the greatest acts of human endurance in the history of the world and the South Carolina Gullah are a shining example of that resilience.”

The island has a fascinating history, tracing back to pre-Revolutionary war times. During the Yamasee War of 1716-1717, there was a skirmish called the “Daufuskie Fight.” There was a large settlement of Gullah inhabitants from the end of the Civil War until very recently. This picturesque settlement now numbers 929 hearty, year-round residents.

To pay homage to the survival and the culture of the Gullah, there are two festivals held every year. There is still time to participate in the 15th annual Hilton Head Gullah celebration. The four-week festival began Feb. 1, and continues until the end of the month. This event gives visitors the opportunity to share in rich, cultural traditions and crafts, such as the unique basket weaving. History buffs will be enthusiastic about the Gullah Heritage Trail and access to Ibile Indigo House, a working studio for artists who maintain the authentic West African art of indigo-dying.

If you miss the celebration in February, there is another in historic Beaufort. This year marks the 25th anniversary, which is scheduled for May 27-29.

It has been several years that I received a copy of “Stirrin’ the Pots on Daufuskie” by Billie Burn. This delightful collection of stories combined with authentic recipes contributed by the descendants of slaves has given me hours of delightful reading and an insight into a bit of Americana that is slowly vanishing from the passing parade.

“After the Civil War, the freed slaves knew how to cook and to make a garden. They had no money but could catch crabs, shuck oysters and exchange these for money. At times, when food was scarce, some Islanders roasted otter. Some went so far as to eat pinebark bread and fiddler claw stew. The dried bark of the pine tree was pounded to the same consistency and added to cornmeal to stretch the bread a little farther.”

From: “Stirrin’ the Pots on Daufuskie” by Billie Burn

Here is my favorite recipe from Ms. Burn’s book, and, fortunately, it is not for bread made of pinebark. Fresh figs are among my favorite fruits and I was glad to find this recipe.

GRAMMA WHITE'S FRESH FIG LAYER CAKE

Ingredients

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/3 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk

1 cup finely chopped fresh figs

Preparation

â–  Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add the egg and beat well.

■ Combine 1½ cups flour, salt and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture alternating with milk; beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating well after each addition.

■ Dredge figs in remaining ½ cup flour and fold into batter. Pour into 2 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

â–  Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans and cool completely. Spread with Fresh Fig Filling between layers and on the top and sides of cake.

Fresh fig filling

1 pound fresh figs, finely chopped

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes or until thickened, stirringly constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool before spreading on cake layers.