The most distinctive marker of African retention is the Gullah language itself, often referred to as Sea Island Creole. Linguists have proven that Gullah is not merely "broken English" but a sophisticated creole language where English words are used within the grammatical and phonetic structures of various West African substrate languages. Historical research by scholars like Lorenzo Dow Turner identified substantial loanwords and grammatical patterns traceable to languages of the “Rice Coast” region, including Mende, Vai, and Wolof. The vocabulary includes Africanisms such as goober (peanut, from Kikongo n'guba) and nyam (to eat), while grammatical features—such as using a single marker for a plural noun or the distinct sentence structures—are virtually identical to those found in Sierra Leone Krio. This linguistic continuity allowed the Gullah people to maintain complex communication and storytelling traditions that reinforced their collective identity, resisting the linguistic assimilation forced upon other enslaved populations.

A second powerful retention of African heritage is the Ring Shout, a communal ecstatic ritual. This practice, often described as the oldest surviving African American performance tradition, is a fusion of spiritual worship and rhythmic movement. Historically performed in praise houses or the open air, the participants move counter-clockwise in a circle while shuffling and stomping their feet (the "shout") and clapping their hands. Crucially, the feet are never crossed, as crossing them would transition the movement from spiritual ritual to secular dance. The rhythm is reinforced by a stick beating a drum-like rhythm on a wooden floor, substituting for the drums that enslavers often prohibited out of fear of coded communication. The combination of call-and-response singing, complex polyrhythms generated by body percussion, and the counter-clockwise circling directly parallels ceremonial dances and spiritual practices of various West and Central African groups, affirming community solidarity and a spiritual link to ancestors.

Finally, the art of sweetgrass basket weaving provides a direct material link to the Gullah's African origins, particularly to the agricultural technology of the Lowcountry rice plantations. The technique used to create these coiled baskets—involving wrapping and sewing together bundles of materials like bulrush, pine needles, and sweetgrass with strips of palmetto—is virtually identical to the coiling methods used for millennia in West Africa, notably by the Wolof people in Senegal. The most crucial basket historically was the large, flat fanner basket, which was essential for the labor-intensive process of winnowing rice (separating the grain from the chaff). Enslaved Africans from the Rice Coast were targeted specifically for their existing expertise in rice cultivation and its associated tools. By continuing to craft these baskets long after emancipation, the Gullah people preserved not just an art form, but a vital piece of technological and economic history that connects them back to the skills of their ancestors.

Sample Answer

The Enduring African Heritage of the Gullah People: Language, Ritual, and Craft

The Gullah people, residing primarily in the Lowcountry region of coastal South Carolina and Georgia, represent a profound link to West Africa that survived the brutal conditions of enslavement. Descended from captive West and Central Africans brought to America during the 18th century, the Gullah communities utilized the physical isolation of the Sea Islands to forge a unique, resilient culture. Far removed from constant white oversight, the ancestors of the Gullah were able to blend diverse African languages, spiritual practices, and survival skills into a coherent cultural identity. This essay will examine three cultural elements—the Gullah language, the Ring Shout ritual, and the ancient craft of sweetgrass basket weaving—which demonstrate the deep and enduring connection between the Gullah people and their African ancestral homelands.