Gullah People Music Culture

The music culture of the Gullah people is a strong factor of what ties them together in such a strong community. The music is a way that the Gullah people feel connected to their ancestors, spirits, their religion, etc. The music culture is highly focused on the Gullah people recognizing and accepting their past history of slavery and how that grew them as a people into the identity they have today.

The music in and of itself is heavily focused on the use of rhythmic beats through percussion. The music also is highly involved with nearly everyone participating in the music in same manner such as dancing, singing, or playing an instrument, much like the African music culture in Sierra Leone that the Gullah people link themselves to. In fact, not only is singing and dancing among both the performers and the audience important but also the spiritual aspect of the dance. The Gullah people believe spirits and ancestors are incorporated into their music, not only directing their music and dancing, but also acting as the primary audience that the music directed to. This music culture uses music as a type of a remembrance of the struggle that their ancestors had while still within the confines of slavery.

However, it is important to note that the music culture is not merely focused on performances, but is in fact of integral part of everyday life. The fact that their music is tied into so many aspects of their life, such as their religion allows their music to transcend many traditional boundaries of music, and allows the music to act as a force drawing the people together as a closer community.