The Ring Shout: A Gullah Treasure

In the South Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry, Gullah traditions add vibrant color to this area’s history. A key facet of its culture – and one of the oldest continuously practiced African-American traditions – is the “Ring Shout,” a sacred form of dance and music. In honor of Black History Month, let us learn more about this dance, its symbolism, and its history.

Origins of the Ring Shout

The Gullah people are descendants of West and Central Africans who were enslaved and brought to the coastal plantations of the southeastern United States. Over time, these communities developed a unique culture, blending African traditions with European influence. This cultural mix formed a distinct language known as Gullah and created powerful musical and spiritual practices, including the Ring Shout.

The Ring Shout originated in West African ceremonial dances, particularly those the Akan, Yoruba, and other ethnic groups practiced. These dances were not just artistic expressions but were also spiritual, meant to connect participants with ancestors and spirits. Enslaved Africans brought these traditions with them to the Americas.

The Ritual and Performance

Typically, participants perform the Ring Shout in a circle moving counterclockwise. The circle represents life energy and its infinite cycle, while the counterclockwise direction honors participants’ ancestors. Performers often “shout” or chant as they move and keep rhythm by clapping, stomping, and beating on a wooden floor with a stick or on percussion instruments such as tambourines or drums. Despite its name, shouting aloud is not an essential part of the Ring Shout.

The dancers, often barefooted, move in unison with their feet performing intricate steps which reflect both African traditions and the influence of the African-American church. As the dancers move, they sway, shuffle, and occasionally spin in rhythm with the music.

The Ring Shout is unique due to its combination of this rhythmic movement with call-and-response singing. The song lyrics, passed down through generations, often have roots in Christian spirituals, reflecting the blend of African belief systems with Christianity. The songs themselves carry deep meanings, often expressing themes of longing, hope, resistance, and connection to the divine.

Preservation of the Tradition

For centuries, the Ring Shout was largely unknown to broader society. Enslaved Africans often performed in secret, away from plantation owners and their overseers. Nonetheless, the Ring Shout survived, due to its roots in oral tradition and its deep connection to spirituality, as Gullah families passed it down from generation to generation.

The early twentieth century brought significant change to Gullah culture, as the modern world encroached upon the isolated Sea Islands where the Gullah people lived. By the last quarter of the twentieth century, the ring shout was presumed to have died out. However, in 1980, music folklorists learned that a community in Bolden, near Eulonia in McIntosh County, Georgia, had been practicing it for generations.

When this living ring shout tradition became known to outsiders, the Bolden community organized a performing group called the “McIntosh County Shouters.” In 1993, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded the group the prestigious National Heritage Fellowship, and in 2010 it received a Governor’s Award in the Humanities. Today, the shouters tour schools, festivals, and churches.

Cultural Significance

The Ring Shout continues to be an important part of Gullah heritage during festivals, church services, and community gatherings and has found its place in broader popular culture, too. It has influenced a wide range of American music such as jubilee, gospel, blues, jazz, and even rock and roll. Many popular musical elements, including call-and-response, rhythm, and improvisation, evoke this rich African-American tradition.

The Gullah Ring Shout is more than just a dance or song; it is a powerful symbol of survival and connection. Rooted in African traditions and shaped by the history of slavery in the United States, the Ring Shout endures as a celebration of the Gullah people’s culture, spirituality, and resilience. Yet, thanks to its appearance in popular music, it is an aspect of their culture that all of us may enjoy today.

Learn more about the Gullah and Lowcountry history on our Fugitives, Fighters, and Fudge: St. Marys Walking Tour or Cumberland Island Walking Tour: Haunting Ruins and Wild Horses!