Sapelo, Georgia
My mother recently told me about conversations she had where her beloved father told her about the Gullah & the Gee-chee people. While he also told her about our Cherokee heritage, she told me that he had many stories about the Gee-Chee people and their customs. While we are not so sure how we are related on that side. My mother's grandparents both are "from off the boat and so my mother and I have decided to begin the research there. Wish us Luck! Update: Approximately 115 people now reside on Sapelo, either permanently or temporarily, with the majority of them at Hog Hammock. That community still consists primarily of descendants of Thomas Spalding's slaves, and their diminishing numbers are a source of concern. Cornelia Walker Bailey , the most prominent spokesperson for the community, has long been a champion of preserving the rich West African heritage, from spiritual beliefs and folkways to the Geechee dialect once spoken by the island's African Americ