World famous Lowcountry cuisine consists of everything fresh and local

In the Gullah culture, storytellers have the important function of reciting and remembering genealogy and historical information for their village.

These islanders, former slaves from the West African coastal countries of Senegal and Sierra Leone, have inhabited the Sea Islands for generations, and their unique traditions remain largely intact. Equally important to local culture are the recipes they preserved.

“Growing up Gullah means that you learn to make do with what you’ve got,” said chef David Young, owner of Roastfish & Cornbread restaurant on Hilton Head Island.

Anyone with a hankering to try their hand at making a sweetgrass basket – or to learn how they are made – need look no further than the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn on Hilton Head Island.

Daurus Niles, an expert weaver of sweetgrass baskets, conducts a hands-on class about the enduring Gullah art every Saturday morning at the museum from now through the end of February.

Niles said everyone comes away from the class having made something under her tutelage. The classes are two hours long, running from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and cost $65, which includes the materials the participants use.

COMMISSION HOPES TO PRESERVE, EDUCATE, FURTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE

The drive to preserve and protect the Gullah Geechee culture rides into 2014 with accelerating enthusiasm drawn from completion of the management plan for how to proceed in going about that work.

 When the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission holds its first quarterly meeting of this year on Feb. 21 at Fernandina Beach, Fla., near Amelia Island, the members will be looking to rev up some specifics to move forward on.

The thrust of their work will be how to implement the three major goals of the commission: to preserve the culture, to educate people about that culture and to further economic development to help the people of the culture.

Lynn Arrington, resident of The Crescent, took along her copy of Hilton Head Monthly while enjoying a stay at Dromoland Castle in Ireland.

Debi Lynes celebrated her birthday with family and friends in Charleston.

ILLUSTRATION BY RUMI HARA

IN DECEMBER 2010, 19-YEAR-OLD CHARLESTON SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY BASEBALL PLAYER WILL BEDENBAUGH WAS KILLED IN A SINGLE-CAR ACCIDENT NEAR HIS HOME IN PROSPERITY, S.C.

The promising young baseball player attended Mid Carolina High School, where he was named All State and All Region as a senior. His life was cut short when his car ran off the road.

He was texting while driving.

Will was the nephew of Bluffton’s mayor, Lisa Sulka, who still finds it very difficult for her to discuss his death.

The pain a family feels when a loved one dies, especially a young person with so much to look forward to, is unquantifiable.

It’s only natural that we get caught up in the daily grind and find ourselves complaining more than giving thanks. In reality, we all have plenty to be thankful for. When Thanksgiving rolls around once a year, we get a huge reminder about how lucky we really are when we surround the dinner table with friends and family and take time to be grateful. Whether it’s your job, your family, your health, or your puppy, it’s important to give thanks for what matters most. So what are you thankful for?

Annual Thanksgiving Dinner
A community tradition

Photos by Shelle Fisher Davis

Feeding 1,400 people on Thanksgiving Day is nothing short of a miracle, swapping loaves and fishes with turkey and potatoes. Despite grand proportions, everyone is fed, and thankful. The Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks is a celebration of fellowship and giving thanks, with all the trimmings you would expect at a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

This year the 15th Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 28.

Congregation Beth Yam in Hilton Head is proud to announce its Fall 2013 Semester series of live satellite presentations. Gain unparalleled access to some of the most important players and thinkers today. Get the opportunity to e-mail questions directly to the panel participants live. Live from NY's 92nd Street Y, now in its 11th year, uses satellite technology to simultaneously broadcast 92st Y's renowned educational and cultural programming to community organizations across America.