North American Diaspora

Gullah Geechee Spirituality

Gullah Geechee — United States

Core Beliefs

• Preservation of West and Central African spiritual practices
• Root medicine and herbalism
• Ring shout — circular worship combining African and Christian elements
• Ancestor reverence and graveyard traditions
• Bottle trees and blue paint for spirit protection
• Strong community oral traditions

Divination System

Root medicine practices

Priesthood

Root doctor, community elders

Sacred Texts & Traditions

• Ring Shout songs
• Sweetgrass basket traditions (material culture)

Diaspora Connections

Sierra Leone / Mende (root)Kongo influencesHoodoo

Related Traditions

Kongo Religion Akan Religion Hoodoo / Conjure

Scholarly References

NPS — Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor ↗Library of Congress — Gullah Traditions ↗