Gullah/Geechee Artists Gather in Ft. Lauderdale for International Reunion

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(Free-Press-Release.com) August 11, 2010 -- ****FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE****
CONTACT: Ms. Barksdale GullGeeCo@aol.com 843-838-1171
Gullah/Geechee Artists and Living Historians Gather at the African American Research Library & Cultural Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

On Saturday, August 21, 2010 from Noon to 7 pm the Gullah/Geechee Nation International Music & Movement Festival™ will be held at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. This gathering will host a number of traditional artists and historians that will provide lectures, dramatic, and musical presentations, workshops and craft demonstrations. The featured authors that will be on hand to sign books include Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, environmentalists, Frank and Audrey Peterman, and Gullah/Geechee poet, Elder Carlie Towne.

Folk presenters at the event will include Rita Pratt of Nassau, Bahamas, Ms. McQueenie of the Black Seminoles of Andros Island, Carolee Holmes Brown of St. Helena Island, SC, and Ricky Wright and Keith Ellis of the Gullah/Geechee Fishing Association. They each will provide live craft demonstrations and teach on the history of each one as a part of the living marketplace. The living marketplace follows the opening of the stage by Gullah/Geechee artist, La’Donna Gibson who will provide the Gullah/Geechee puppet show, “The Lighthouse Theater” for people of all ages.

Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, is a published author, computer scientist, lecturer, mathematician, historian, columnist, preservationist, and "The Art-ivist."   In August 2008, Queen Quet was one of the first of seven inductees to the Gullah/Geechee Nation Hall of Fame. She received the "Anointed Spirit Award" for her leadership and for being a visionary. Queen Quet has not only provided histo-musical presentations throughout the world, but was also the first Gullah/Geechee person to speak on behalf of her people before the United Nations in Genevé, Switzerland.  She was also selected, elected, and enstooled by her people to be the first Queen Mother of and official spokesperson for the Gullah/Geechee Nation. This will be her return to the AARLCC and the city of Ft. Lauderdale. She is looking forward to reuniting with all of her supporters as she does a Gullah/Geechee histo-musical presentation entitled, “We Gwine Be Free!” This is also the title of the exhibition that she will unveil on site.

Linda Cousins-Newton, Director, Ancestral ProMotions and Founder of the Nana Tubman Honor in Ghana Project, will share a reading from her book, “FREE GLOBALLY!--The International Underground Railroad”, which explores "the astounding, daring, and determined expansion of the underground railroad to global territories ranging from The Bahamas to Mexico, from Canada to Africa." 

Married to a Bahamian culturalist who is a direct descendant of Moses Newton, one of the first Black Seminole migrants to Andros, Bahamas, Cousins-Newton will touch upon her experience as a historical researcher and ancestral storyteller who ran across this surprising information while preparing an online course on the Underground Railroad. Celebrating the lives of great yet under-sung African Seminole couple, John and Susan Horse, Cousins-Newton will conduct the Junkanoon Rush workshop.

As the evening of the event winds down, Big Babatunde will heat the stage up with cultural hip-hop. Big Babatunde is a member/founder the international “ensemble” ARAYATOBA. All his life Big Babatunde has had his hands in the Arts, visual and performance. His performing experience began at the age of five traveling across the nation as one of the selected drummers with Oyotunji African Village’s first king - the great Oba Efuntola’s royal entourage. Big Baba also played an important roll in his families’ nonprofit dance and drum company, A.Y.O (African Yoruba Organization). Later at the age of nine Big Baba help founded “Brothers of a Royal Tribe” which was later translated to “Ara aya ti oba” or Arayatoba, specializing in all African forms of music and entertainment. Taking a love for the art of Hip Hop Big Baba vows to show the rap world versatility and pride in culture.

Throughout the day, Gullah/Geechee and Seminole tradition items, books, and CDs will be on sale. Those attending the event are asked to bring drums, tambourines, and an open spirit! There is truly no audience! Dis da we famlee reunion! Cum fa jayn we!

Call 843-838-1171, e-mail GullGeeCo@aol.com or AMPTurnItUp@aol.com or go to www.gullahgeechee.info for more details!

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