The Gullah Lady
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Sharon Cooper-Murray is a native of Lake City, South Carolina and is the daughter of the late Bruster Cooper and Hanna Gaskins-Cooper. Sharon is a graduate of Lake City Senior High School and a Speech and Drama graduate of Knoxville College, Knoxville, Tennessee. After graduating she traveled for a brief time trying decide where she what area to take up residence. It was then she was invited to Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina a small Sea Island southwest of Charleston and the home of the indigenous group known as the Gullah people. She was fascinated by their creole language and even more intrigued by their culture.
Sharon began working as an Educator for the Charleston County School District in the area of Remedial Reading . While teaching she was recruited by Rev. Dr. Willis T. Goodwin, founder of Rural Mission, Inc. an ecumenical/educational organization which provided community development programs for the Gullah people on the five sea islands known as the Gullah islands; James, Johns, Wadmalaw, Yonges and Edisto Island. She served as the Development Officer responsible for fundraising and grant writing. The position afforded her the opportunity to work within Gullah community and that was the beginning of what became her life long passion for the Gullah culture.
By 1986 after years of research she partnered with Frank L. Murray to established De Gullah Enna Pry, a heritage development organization designed to preserve, conserve and develop the Gullah Culture. Though the inclusion of the Gullah culture was very limited in the Hospitality/Tourism Industry she believed this rich and diverse culture would greatly enhance the lore of Charleston, S. C. She wrote, directed and produced two theatrical productions in 1992 Dont let um die Yah, in 1997 Gullah, Rice and Cottom. In 1993 she served as the Black History Coordinator at Middleton Place; an antebellum rice plantation founded in 1741. Sharon was immersed in the lives of the West African slaves and the evolution of the Gullah Culture.
Today, Sharon is founder and President of Gullah Enna & E Sweet Pan & Ting, a manufacturing organization i.e. cottage industry specializing in Gullah fiber arts & crafts. The organizations philosophy and mission is to increase awareness of the Gullah culture and facilitate understanding of their way of life; language, music, arts and crafts.
Just south of Charleston, S. C., Wadmalaw Island was the home to West African slaves brought from their homeland to this South Carolina Sea Island a few centuries ago. Along with them came a rich, diverse heritage that has survived among their descendents. Although isolated on the Sea Islands, the slaves were able to maintain much of their Africanisms in various forms in their communities. On Wadmalaw Island, the slaves and freed people practiced their beliefs, some of which were meshed with American traits. These modifications of language, food, worship practices, work and family led to the emergence of Gullah.
Members of De Gullah Singers grew up on Wadmalaw Island, a small Sea Island with a permanent population of approximately 3,000 residents. Located in Charleston County, Wadmalaw is bordered by Johns Island, Ravenel and Edisto Island. Today, Wadmalaw Island is home to the Charleston Tea Plantation.
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©De Gullah Enna Pry 2010 Last edited: June 30, 2010
