The Gullah Kinfolk are the most exciting musical sensation ever to come from the South Carolina Sea Islands.
Virtually all related, the closeness of this dynamic group is apparent from the first song. Audiences nationwide have been mesmerized by their unique style, memorable performances and uplifting renditions of their historical repertoire.
The group was formed by Anita Singleton-Prather, best known for her beloved character Aunt Pearlie Sue, in an effort to preserve Gullah history and the Gullah dialect. A performance by the Gullah Kinfolk is a rare treat that will be remembered for a lifetime.
The Gullah Kinfolk have headlined at dozens of music and cultural festivals. Performances can be customized for any occasion or function, with as few or as many performers as you would like.
Veronica Davis Gerald is a professor of English at Coastal Carolina University, a Gullah Geechee Heritage Commissioner and author of The Ultimate Gullah Cookbook.
Lectures, performances and work shops are designed to educate along with entertaining storytelling. They can be used in church programs and celebrations, class rooms, community programs, workshops, conferences, festivals, family reuinions, meetings, or any event in need of an education component. Presentations can be adapted for age groups from elementary to graduate and beyond.
Popular selected topics:
- “Miss Addie Mae Goback.” Fictional, one-woman performance with 80-year old woman telling stories from the lives of Gullah slaves and their children
- “Hants, Hags and Plat-Eyes.” A haunting blend of stories, supernatural lore and facts from the South Carolina Lowcountry
- “When Rice was King.” Traces the origins and history of rice cultivation in America and its impact on the Gullah people
- “Still Tongue Mek ah Wise Head.” Discusses Gullah women as history/culture bearers and story tellers
- “All Shut-eye ain’ Sleep.” Burial customs and homegoing practices in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
- “All Other Ground is Sinking Sand.” The role of religion and spirituality in African American Culture
- “Gullah een da White House?” Michele Obama and her roots in Gullah culture
Veronica was born in Mullins, South Carolina, a descendant of African slaves brought to the Brookgreen and Longwood Rice Plantations in Georgetown County from the grain coast of West Africa in the 17th century. She was educated in the Horry County School system, at the University of Maryland, Atlanta and Emory Universities. She has received numerous awards including the SC Governors Award in Humanities, the Distinguished Teaching Award at Coastal Carolina University and The Jean Laney Folk Heritage Award. She is considered a foremost scholar on Gullah history, culture and the SC Lowcountry. She is a much sought after lecturer and scholar appearing on C-Span, CNN and National Geographic.
Anita Singleton-Prather created the character Aunt Pearlie Sue and leads the Gullah Traveling Theater in presenting the Gullah story through educational storytelling and musical performances worldwide.
She is a native of the Sea Islands in Beaufort County, South Carolina.
In addition to being a storyteller, Prather is an educator, singer, actress and historian. She is the founder of the musical performance group the Gullah Kinfolk. As a storyteller and singer, Prather has performed at many festivals, including the Spoleto USA international arts festival in Charleston. She has appeared in the Hollywood film Forrest Gump and on “Christmas Across America” on the Food Network Channel.
She participates in educational documentaries, and Prather’s one-woman show, “Tales from the Land of Gullah,” has been broadcast on PBS nationwide, Canada and the Virgin Islands.
Her voice can be heard across the nation by radio broadcast as she spins her Gospel Top 10 tale, “Chicken Dinner Money.”
Prather is also the curriculum coordinator for the Education of Gullah Culture Through the Arts in the Beaufort County School District. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Howard University and a master’s degree in education from the University of South Carolina.