SAVANNAH, Ga. () – The Gullah Heritage Festival drew a large crowd, encouraging learning and celebrating Gullah culture on Saturday.

“We’re all about love here at the Gullah Museum,” said Louise Cohen, founder and director of the Gullah Museum of Hilton Head. “Love and respect is what held our people together on this island, and we work together and that’s why togetherness is so important.”

Cohen says this festival started as a way for people to get together after the pandemic, and they’ve been doing it every July since.

“Even though our people went through what we went through, I use today as a day to praise God, for bringing us through all that we’ve been through and we’re still here, telling the story. We’re still praising God and we’re still loving people.”

The Gullah people are the descendants of enslaved Africans who were brought to the coastal area. Many of the traditions they carried over with them can be found in today’s American culture.

“It’s pretty unique,” said Lavon Stevens, chairman of native island leadership group and emcee of the event, “It’s kind of an interactive museum. Most people think of a museum they think one building but the whole site is historic, there’s different parts of the site that you can visit.”

Several opportunities for food and entertainment surrounded the Gullah museum’s many historical exhibits, encouraging learning along with fun.

Admission paid to get into the festival goes back into funding the museum. They offer presentations and exhibits throughout the year. Cohen says they have another event scheduled in October.