The Children's Museum of Houston is debuting a new exhibit called "Cum Yah Gullah" on February 25th to celebrate Black History Month. The exhibit aims to preserve and share the culture of the Gullah people, who lived isolated on Sea Islands off the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia. Due to this isolation, the Gullah were able to maintain more of their African heritage and traditions than other slave communities in the U.S. The exhibit will explore Gullah life through homes, crafts, storytelling, music, and other cultural aspects to educate visitors about this unique part of American history that is in danger of being lost.

1. MEDIA CONTACTS:
Henry Yau (hyau@cmhouston.org)
O: (713) 535-7267; C: (713) 240-4956
Melissa Denman (mdenman@cmhouston.org)
(713) 535-7213
Shannon Gilliam (sgilliam@cmhouston.org)
CUM YAH GULLAH
Inspiring Songs. Candid Folktales. African Heritage Preserved.
Children’s Museum of Houston revives a piece of American culture
through its retelling of the story of the Gullah
Exhibit debuts February 25 in celebration of Black History Month
HOUSTON – Buried deep within the American tale lays the story of the Gullah. A vivid and fertile
culture where the sounds of Michael Row the Boat Ashore flows through the salty air and clever little
Br’er Rabbit taught the world brains are as good as might. The roots of these mysterious, pleasant
pieces of folklore can be traced back in time to a place where traditions thrived, family flourished in a
unique new setting and hardships transformed into strengths of community.
Gullah is a West African culture that survived the hardships of slavery and remained almost
unscathed until the 1950’s when the Sea Islands were connected to mainstream America through
bridges. Now, the Children’s Museum of Houston (CMH) is reviving the arts and practices of the
Gullah people in a reinvented, powerful new exhibit, titled Cum Yah Gullah, opening February 25,
2012 through September 8, 2013. The exhibit aims to preserve and provide cultural understanding
of Gullah traditions, explore the geography and ecosystems of the Sea Islands and develop an
appreciation for one’s own culture and background.
“Gullah culture is an example of how strong commitment to community and family helps people
maintain their culture,” said CMH exhibit educator, Bunmi Gaidi. “We aim to promote understanding
and respect for this unique and diminishing American culture, which is in danger of losing traditions
and customs if not preserved.”
During the 1600s to the 1800s, millions of West Africans were enslaved throughout the Western
Hemisphere. Of those taken to the U.S., most were stripped of their culture, language and customs
and as a result, lost their homeland traditions. However, Africans living on the Sea Islands, along the
coast of South Carolina and Georgia, remained relatively isolated from mainland America. Thus, they
were able to form and preserve a unique way of life that blended their West African heritage with
European-American and slave traditions. This became known as the Gullah culture.
A CULTURAL JOURNEY
Isolated from the mainland, the Gullah people have preserved more of their African cultural history
than any other segment of African-American people. In fact, experts believe 40 percent of all African-
Americans are of Gullah descent and some may not even know what that is. Cum Yah Gullah will
build bridges into the ancestral home which exists in the hearts and minds of many Gullah people
today.
“We want you to take away a sense of the origin of [Gullah] songs, culture, folklore and language,
and gain a concept of their integration into American culture,” said Gaidi. “Cum Yah Gullah (meaning
‘Come to Gullah’) will encourage you to cross mental boundaries as you seek to understand and
appreciate this precious slice of American history.”

2. Children’s Museum of Houston Cum Yah Gullah opens Feb. 25
Pg. 2
THE GULLAH MESSAGE
Gullah heritage is distinct and is expressed in this exhibit through the culture’s unique customs,
language, storytelling, music and more:
 Experience Gullah life through the eyes of a child, as Deja walks you through her home on
the Sea Islands
 Sway with the rhythms of Gullah life through sounds, crafts and musical traditions and the
Gullah influence of rhythm in popular music and spirituals in Praise House.
 Enter the recreated, traditional Gullah Home where you’ll be able to engage in the
everyday Gullah practices.
 Discover as characters of Gullah tales come to life and learn how the Gullah folks
entertained themselves through lively, storytelling in The Tellin’ Forest.
 Head outside the home and experience how the Gullah people survived by gardening,
catching shrimp, making nets and growing food in Livin’ off the Land.
Gullah culture has made important contributions to mainstream American culture and by exploring this
rich history, you will be inspired to investigate and reflect on your own culture and the culture of
others.
ABOUT CUM YAH GULLAH EXHIBIT ADVISORS & PARTNERS
Cum Ya Gullah was created and developed by the Children’s Museum of Houston through partnerships with the
following organizations:
THE PENN CENTER
The Penn Center's mission is to promote and preserve the history and culture of the Sea Islands. It serves as a
local, national and international resource center, and act as a catalyst for the development of programs for self-
sufficiency. The Penn Center operates the History and Culture Program, the Land Use and Environmental
Education Program, the Program for Academic and Cultural Enrichment (PACE) and partners with the
University of South Carolina—Beaufort to offer the Early Childhood At Risk Initiative.
THE GULLAH/GEECHEE HERITAGE CORRIDOR
The Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor is one of forty congressionally designated National Heritage
Areas developed to To recognize the important contributions made to American culture and history by Africans
and African Americans known as Gullah/Geechee and To aide in identifying and preserving sites, historical
data, artifacts, and objects associated with the Gullah/Geechee culture for the benefit and education of the
public.
ABOUT CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF HOUSTON
America’s No. 1 Children’s Museum” by Parents Magazine, winner of Nickelodeon Parents’ Picks “Best Museum
in Houston 2009 & 2010,” Click2Houston’s “Best Museum 2010,” the Children’s Museum of Houston is a
Citysearch.com’s nationwide 5-star children’s museum. It is dedicated to transforming communities through
innovative, child-centered learning with a vision to spark a passion for lifelong learning in all children. Founded
in 1980 and housed in a whimsical building designed by internationally acclaimed architect Robert Venturi, the
Children’s Museum of Houston offers a multitude of innovative exhibits and bilingual learning programs for kids
ages birth to 12 years. The Museum serves more than 1,100,000 people annually and operates as a 501(c)(3)
under the direction of a Board of Directors. It is located at 1500 Binz in Houston’s Museum District. Admission
is $9 per person and $8 for seniors 65 years and older and for members of the military. Children under one and
Museum Members receive free admission.
Free Family Nights are offered Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. courtesy of the Houston Endowment, the Wortham
Foundation, Inc. and the John P. McGovern Foundation. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to
6 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from Noon to 6 p.m. The Museum is open at 9 a.m. on the
Second Saturday of every month for Museum Members. The Museum is closed Mondays but open on Federal
Holidays, during Houston Independent School District’s Spring Break and during the summer months from 10
a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please visit www.cmhouston.org or call (713) 522-1138. The Children’s
Museum of Houston is A Playground for Your Mind™ Can your mind come out to play?™
###