Gullah Art and Stories at Daniel Island Library
Daniel Island, SC – Artist Bernadette Cali, a resident of Wadmalaw Island, will share her artwork and stories of a vanishing Gullah culture.
Bernadette Cali’s paintings hang from the Virgin Islands to New York City. But her heart belongs to the islands of South Carolina. As the Gullah culture vanishes, she tells the peoples’ tales. Come see her beautiful artwork and hear her spin Gullah stories on February 23rd at the Daniel Island Library.
Cali’s story began in New Jersey in 1952. After graduation from Rutgers she took a trip to West Africa – eager to leave busy city life behind. While there she fell in love with the African culture and found the same experience in the rural islands of South Carolina. In 1977 she became a resident of Wadmalaw Island. Today, you can find her there teaching yoga and art.
The story of the Gullah culture began on the sea islands as slaves were brought to the Americas. Congressman James E. Clyburn said, “Stories and traditions of this fusion of African and European cultures brought long ago to these shores have been slipping away along with the marsh and sand that are disappearing because of the encroachment of developments and the pressures to assimilate into the ‘modern’ world.” But by painting her pictures and telling her stories, Cali is keeping a little part of the Gullah culture alive.
Join the Berkeley County Library system for a celebration in diversity on February 23rd at 1 pm. The library will also provide Gullah treats. When you visit the library, check out some of the great resources on the Gullah culture. Maybe you can be the one to preserve this unique heritage for another generation.
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About Berkeley County Library System: The Berkeley County Library System enriches lives by informing, inspiring and illuminating its local community. The system consists of six branches and a bookmobile that offer programs and services to a growing county. For more information about BCLS, visit berkeleylibrarysc.org.
