There are already plans to expand the app's initial roster of seven locations around historic Hilton Head Island.
As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, Georgia's Gullah Geechee community recently won a legal victory in its battle against McIntosh County officials, citing their fears of displacement and the erosion of Sapelo Island's culture and history. On the heels of that victory, comes another for South Carolina's Hilton Head Gullah Geechee community, delivered through the launch of a website that digitally preserves their history and culture.
According to WSAV, on Oct. 2, Hilton Head leaders revealed the website and a mobile app which they believe will allow visitors to the island and others who are interested in the history of its Gullah Geechee community to learn more about their culture as well as the various businesses owned by Gullah Geechees across the island.
The website, New Experience Gullah, was the focal point of a launch event hosted by the Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation, but the companion app, built to allow an immersive experience of the Island's historic landmarks like the Old School House Park, historic Mitchelville, Driessen Beach Park, and the Simmons Fishing Camp through scanning QR codes at physical locations, had ample time to shine as well.
"Technology is ever expanding and ever advancing and so the only way we can keep us is to make sure we have a footprint in that digital space. And so, this represents us being able to interact and launch in that digital space and provide opportunities for businesses to have advertising and such in that digital platform," Thomas Boxley, the executive director of the GGHNCDC, noted to the outlet.
Per the National Park Service, the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, which is managed by the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission, was established to call attention to the historic and cultural contributions of the Gullah Geechee people, a group of people who have traditionally resided in the coastal areas and the sea islands of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
According to their entry, "Because their enslavement was on isolated coastal plantations, sea and barrier islands, they were able to retain many of their indigenous African traditions. These traditions are reflected in their foodways, arts and crafts, and spiritual traditions. They also created a new language, Gullah, a creole language spoken nowhere else in the world."
As he previously asserted in a Sept. 25 press release announcing the event, Boxley believes that the Gullah Geechee community's story needs to be preserved in as many formats as possible.
"A part of our strategic action plan for the Town of Hilton Head Island and the CDC is to preserve the Gullah Geechee culture that is prevalent throughout the Island's historic neighborhoods," Boxley stated.
To that end, per the press release, there are already plans to expand the app's initial roster of seven locations around historic Hilton Head Island. Boxley and a team from Solaos Inc., a Tulsa, Oklahoma-based technology firm, worked for over a year to develop and deliver an application that honors Gullah culture, promotes Gullah-owned businesses and events, and attracts visitors. In addition, the firm utilized several Hilton Head high school students as research assistants on the project.
"Their contributions not only enhanced the authenticity of the content but also provided meaningful educational opportunities," Boxley added. "Students had the chance to deepen their understanding of the history and culture of their community while gaining practical experience with advanced technology used in visual storytelling. These are skills they can continue to build on in their high school and college studies."