Africanisms among Blacks of the Sea Islands

Abstract

This article was written because of the recent interest of Blacks in rediscovering their ancestral heritage. I am a Sea Islander who for many years did not recognize that my religious practices, beliefs, and customs-so many things, in fact, that made up my very being-were African. My discovery of this has generated my interest in comparing African culture with that of the Sea Islanders, with results which I have found astonishing. The similarities are numerous. It is appropriate here to express sincere appreciation to Lydia Nku August, Michael Mawema, and other continental Africans who took the time to dialogue with me about the commonalities between the culture of their individual countries and that of the Sea Islands. Since the Sea Islands have strong remaining Africanisms, their culture can play an important role in the development of our sense of identification with the African homeland. Africa's heritage can be shared, studied, and preserved by all African Americans. Thus I hope this article by a Sea Islander can shed some light on the situation. For many of the years of my childhood I lived, believed in, and loved this Sea Island experience, but at that time I did not consider it unusual, like most Sea Islanders. We did not see