Thanks to blogger Tiffany Dodson for her notes on her visit to Daufuskie Island with her family.

OPINION: Gullah, Gullah Island Exist in Daufuskie Monday, 15 November 2010 14:17 Tiffany Dodson Alligators are not the only thing to look out for when visiting Daufuskie Island DAUFUSKIE ISLAND, SC - Upon traveling to Daufuskie Island near Hilton Head Island, S.C. last summer with my family, I did not know what to expect. I had heard little to nothing about it, apart from the supposed dolphins that tourists usually saw when traveling there. Sadly, within that 45 minute boat ride, I only spotted two dolphin fins for about 5 minutes, but traveling in itself served as an interesting way for my family and me to discover new aspects of the South Carolinian Island that we often frequent. The first thing I noticed about the Daufuskie Island was the public restrooms located outside the General Store and the simplicity of my surroundings. Being that there was a General Store in the first place made me feel as if I was transported into a bad Western movie, but I disregarded that thought and decided to be open to a new experience. My stepdad had to rent a golf cart to properly navigate the roads being that there are little to no cars located on Daufuskie. This fact speaks to how different the Island is from its surrounding cities, such as Savannah, GA. The cars that are there usually do not have license plates on them, which caused me to wonder what the citizens would do in a car accident or a hit and run. Additionally, there is little to no cell phone reception, and it’s hard to keep track of time if a watch is not present. Being there was as close to what I can picture being stranded on a dessert island would be. Not to say that it was a horrible experience, but rather, something that took me out of my comfort zone and away from many of the technological advancements of society. The Island is very spread out, complete with many open fields and long dirt roads. This is not a place to travel around alone or at night if you are not familiar with it. Despite the eerie, deserted feel of it, everyone on the Island was extremely friendly and often waved to us as we passed them in our cart. Needless to say, I was a bit freaked out by this Southern charm, being a Jersey girl who is used to being ignored by strangers. Daufuskie Island is rich with African-American history through the Gullah people, individuals who were descendants of freed slaves and later populated the Island. Daufuskie focuses mainly on the preservation of the history of the Gullahs through its churches (First Union African Baptist Church, Mount Carmel Baptist Church, etc.) and libraries. The majority of the Island’s population seemed to be of Caucasian decent, so it was refreshing to see how closely they clung to the roots of the Island. The population makes an effort for visitors to become more knowledgeable about African-American’s contribution to South Carolina as a whole. When my family and I entered one of the libraries which acted additionally as a small museum on Gullah culture, a Caucasian woman walked in behind us to further explain the exhibit. “I never charge African-Americans to see this,” she told my mother proudly, “it’s your culture. Why should you pay to learn about it?” If you ever happen to find yourself in or around Hilton Head, South Carolina, I suggest you take advantage of the many exhibits, museums, and plantations that embody the island, and visit Daufuskie at least once. Even if you are not of African-American descent, you will learn something new about the history of America, as well as some of the history of the African-Americans people. Just make sure you return to the mainland before nightfall. By Tiffany Dodson