For the Gullah people or the African Americans living in the Lowcountry region, this refers to the “been here” natives, or long-time residents.

The new documentary, “Bin Yah: There’s No Place Like Home” explores the impact that suburban sprawl has had on historic African-American communities established by freed slaves in Mount Pleasant.

For many, the documentary pulls the heartstrings as the Bin Yahs candidly tell what new residential and commercial developments, road wid-ening and traffic has done to their close-knit communities. At the same time, the film  enlightens the “Come Yahs” and others who might not know of the history of the land and the importance of the sweetgrass basket making skills brought over from West Africa.

Directed by Justin Nathanson, “Bin Yah: There’s No Place Like Home” gives a voice  to the residents of the changing communities.

How the film came about

When Nathanson, who was raised in a Caribbean neighborhood in Flatbush, Brooklyn, moved to Charleston in 2004, he saw a parallel with the language he was used to hearing at home and the Gullah language.

Nathansan started the non profit ChasDoc in the beginning of 2006. ChasDoc board member and Coastal Conservation League Membership Director, Nancy Cregg, informed Nathanson about the problems in Mount Pleasant.

According to Nathanson, he and his crew loosely started shooting in Mount Pleasant in the summer 2006. This  entailed going out on nights and weekends talking to those affected in the Mount Pleasant area. They had College of Charleston students helping out.

Nathanson said that after he spoke to the people, he saw the great problem that was there. In the beginning of 2007, he got down to business.

Nathanson found that the communities approached this type of exposure with a lot of caution; their natural understandable fear was not to be exploited.

“One of the best things we did was associate with the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Association,” Nathanson said.

“Nakia [Wigfall] and Thomasena [Stokes-Marshall] championed us along the way.”

He also said that Michael Allen, NPS Gullah Geechee coordinator was instrumental in the film’s success. Nathanson went to town council meetings to get approval of the project and there were many private screenings for the communities to make sure all facts were accurately presented.

“We wanted to get these stories on tape. They [Bin Yahs] are up against money; people with resources win,” Nathanson said.  “I feel like we have scratched the surface in many ways.”

He believes this film should be a prerequisite for anyone building new in the area.

“I think it is everyone’s responsibility to tell these people about it,” he said referring to the neighborhoods becoming more and more disenfranchised. “Even a road being built divides a community.”

Their stories

Again it is important to note that those who told their stories were not used to doing anything like this.

Wigfall, a resident of the Six Mile Community, is a practicing sweetgrass basket maker.  Her family is one of the original sweetgrass basket makers which brought the art from Africa.

“My family has been there for over 58 years,” Wigfall said, although she can trace her ancestral roots to slaves on Boone Hall Plantation.

Wigfall said, “it is important to preserve the communities where we live which our families fought so hard to keep.”

She said that there is a lot of labor on the land from her ancestors. When the slaves bought the land when they were free, they produced an abundance of vegetation by planting fruits and vegetables.

She wants everyone “to see what we are going through so they can come together and maybe prevent it from happening to their community,” Wigfall said.

Allen has lived  in the Mount Pleasant community for over 25 years. He said that he has seen tremendous growth and change over the years, some of which have come at the expense of the African-American community.

“Therefore as a result ‘Bin Yah’ provides an excellent vehicle to capture the voices of those whose voices had gone unheard and unnoticed,” Allen said.

He said that the purpose of his involvement has been to provoke thought and understanding of the communities that have been impacted in the 21st century but at the same time the communities that are striving to preserve a lifeway that is over 300 years old.

“I have been blessed to talk and work with struggling communities all over this country so now would be the time to work with folks in my home town to preserve and protect a valuable piece of our American fabric, Allen said. “It is with this understanding that I am supportive of the film and all of the efforts that are underway to shine a light on the African-American communities East of the Cooper.”

In his position as the NPS coordinator of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Corridor, Allen is aware of the struggles Gullah Geechee folks are experiencing from Wilmington, N.C. to Jacksonville, Fla.

His hopes are that this film will help to change the mindset of coastal community and local governments when future plans are made relating to the African-American  community.

“Bin Yah could be produced in any given community along the Gullah Geechee Coast because the story line is the same,” Allen said.

Queen Quet, chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, said, “it is important to me to be involved with all projects that stem from the people and history of the Gullah/Geechee Nation due to the fact that historically, we have not been asked to verify what is to be presented about us. I never want to pass the opportunity to insure that our people and culture are respected and presented in a respectful manner.”

Queen Quet said that she hopes the film educates people on what happens when a community does not work together as well as what happens when others do not value others and their culture.

“I pray that this will enlighten many of the people that originate from the Mount Pleasant area and have them come back home to assist with keeping their land and their traditions here in the Gullah/Geechee Nation,” Queen Quet said.

Telling the story

Stokes-Marshall, a Mount Pleasant resident, became involved with the making of the documentary film because of the opportunity provided to the sweetgrass basket makers to tell their stories.

Stokes-Marshall said, “For the first time, basket makers were able to tell their stories in their own words, as to how many of their roadside basket stands have either been destroyed or displaced by development.”

In addition, the basket makers were able to tell how the availability of the sweetgrass natural habitats has declined in recent years as a direct result of increasing real estate development, gated communities and roadway expansions.

Stokes-Marshall said, “The documentary film serves to inform and educate residents, developers, visitors and tourists about the ancient sweetgrass basket making art form that continues to survive in the midst of our communities after more than 300 years.

“Many newcomers and developers don’t have a clue as to the major roles the sweetgrass baskets played in the lucrative agriculture industry during the 1700 and 1800’s, when enslaved Africans used the sweetgrass baskets to winnow the rice crop, that was shipped all over the world thus making the slave masters rich during the Antebellum Era.”

If you want to go

“Bin Yah: There’s No Place Like Home” will premiere during the Piccolo Spoleto Festival Tuesday, June 3  at the Mother Emanuel AME Church, located at 110 Calhoun Street. Two screenings will be held, at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. There will also be a choir singing as well as sweetgrass weaving demonstrations. A panel discussion will be held after the 6 p.m. screening.

“Bin Yah: There’s No Place Like Home” will also be broadcast on the SCETV series Southern Lens at 10 p.m., Thursday, June 12. The one hour film is narrated by Ron Daise, creator of the Nickelodeon hit “Gullah Gullah Island.”

Daise co-created and performed the original Bin Yah title theme track, “A Be a Bin Yah.”

Visit www.binyahfilm.org for more information.

(Helen Ravenel can be reached at helen@moultrienews.com. Read more stories online at www.moultrienews.com)

Title:


Comment:


Your Name: (optional - shown on website)

Enter text seen above:

---

1 comment(s) found!

Posted by: Evelyn Goldthwaite On: 6/12/2008

Comment Title: Excellent documentary of the Gullah people East of the Cooper
Can anything be done to protect these historical lands, owned by the Gullah people, like Mr. Campbell spearheaded on St. Helena Island? Thank you for a wonderful piece of history and art!
Report Abuse

---