Celebrate We Gullah Geechee invites the reader along on a dynamic exploration of Gullah culture. With rhythm and repetition to engage children, five narrators take turns highlighting what they notice in their world, each focusing on one of the five senses. We are there with them: A girl sees a “haint blue door at Grandma’s house / Rocking chairs waiting on the porch.” On special days, we hear the marching band play—ba-da-dum-bum. Our hands explore the prickly bark of Palmetto tree trunks. Through these sensory experiences, readers will honor and learn about the culture and traditions of coastal North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. With love that shines through every line, Celebrate We Gullah Geechee:Uplifts Gullah Geechee history and contemporary cultureSpotlights the importance of family, community, and placeEngages children with rhythmic writing and lots of onomatopoeiaIncludes a section for adults with additional background information Written by award-winning poet Yvette R. Murray, this book invites children to explore their own worlds— whether near or far from the Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor—through sense and celebration.
