The Gullah-Geechee Cultural Visitors' Center at LyBensons' Gallery

04/23/2025

03/06/2025

Black History Month February 1-28, 2025 ... celebrate 365 days of the year at the Gullah Geechee Visitor's Center.

ART OF THE WEEK --- THE CHI WARA: Among the Bamana, oral traditions credit a mythical being named Chi Wara, a divine being half mortal and half animal, with the introduction of agriculture to the Bamana. Under Chi Wara's guidance, humans first learned to cultivate the land and became prosperous and able farmers.

When humans gradually became careless and wasteful, however, Chi Wara is said to have buried himself in the earth. To honor Chi Wara's memory, the Bamana created a boli, a power object in which his spirit could reside, and carved headdresses such as these to represent him. Chi wara headdresses combine antelope features with those of other animals that are significant within Bamana culture, such as the earth-digging aardvark or the armored pangolin. The animals are observed in nature to excel in actions that are also critical to the success of the farming effort. The elegant and tapered heads of the sculptures, along with the neck, ears, and horns, are modeled on antelope forms. The lower part of the sculpture refers to the aardvark. These headdresses are also characterized by decoration with pierced openwork designs, which create an interplay between positive and negative space, and finely incised geometric patterns, which add to their texture.


Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area
Black Tours
International African American Museum
Beaufort County School District
Gullah/Geechee Nation
Beaufort County Library System

02/25/2025

The Spirit of Harriet Tubman lives on in the Gullah Geechee Community.


Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area
International African American Museum
Black Tours
Beaufort County School District
Beaufort County Library System
Gullah/Geechee Nation
Beaufort Arts Council

From the motion picture HARRIET, the Original Song "STAND UP" is written by Joshuah Brian Campbell & Cynthia Erivo. "STAND UP" is now available on all digita...

02/24/2025

Black History Month February 1-28, 2025 ... celebrate 365 days of the year at the Gullah Geechee Visitor's Center.

Last week we hosted a Girl Scouts Troop from Brooklyn, New York. What a pleasant group of young ladies. Hope they enjoyed their visit.

Follow their lead and stop by to see us. We look forward to seeing each of you soon.


Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area
Beaufort County School District
Black Tours
International African American Museum
Beaufort Arts Council
Today Show
Gullah/Geechee Nation
Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island

02/15/2025

Black History Month February 1-28, 2025 ... celebrate 365 days of the year at the Gullah Geechee Visitor's Center.


Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area
International African American Museum
Gullah Geechee
Beaufort Arts Council
Beaufort County Library System
Black Tours




Beaufort County School District

02/14/2025

Members of the Beaufort County Senior's Community joined the tour to St. Helena Island ... included as part of the Beaufort County 4th Annual African American History Education Conference (Feb. 13-15). Earlier in the day, a group of educators stopped by.

Thanks for including us on your schedule. We look forward to each of you visiting with us again.

Beaufort County School District

Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area
Indiana Historical Society







Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area

02/12/2025

FEATURED ART OF THE WEEK - THE BENIN BRONZES: The ancient Kingdom of Benin lies in the tropical rain forest of West Africa, in what is present day Nigeria, and has one of the continent’s most glorious artistic legacies. The history of Benin resembles that of China, for it is replete with dynasties of Obas (kings) who patronized artistic creation in support of their courts. The most renowned examples of Benin art are the extraordinary cast sculptures of bronze.

Among bronze animal depictions in Benin art - the leopard appears most frequently. As "king of the forest" his reputation is as great as that of the Oba, or king. The leopards symbolize power, strength, and the authority of the king. They are also a symbol of the triumph of people over the wild. Benin bronze leopards are sculpted by hand and cast in bronze. Leopards are considered one of the most valuable cultural treasures of Africa and are often given as gifts to grant spiritual protection to the recipient.

Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area
Black Tours
International African American Museum
Indiana Historical Society
Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery
Mars Socialmedia
South Carolina Cultural Heritage Society

02/07/2025

Have you ever seen a piece of art that transports you to another culture?

Introducing our Art of the Week: Stunning 42" Gullah Dolls on stand with intricate 6.5" Sweetgrass Baskets!

Explore the rich heritage of the Gullah Geechee people and discover the beauty of their craftsmanship.

Learn more about this unique cultural legacy at the Gullah Geechee Visitor Center at LyBensons Gallery.









Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area

02/07/2025

Thanks to the group from The Cypress for visiting us. We look forward to seeing you again soon. To all our followers - we are looking forward to welcoming you to!









Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area

11/07/2024

Penn Center Heritage Days Celebration November 7-9, 2024









Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area

11/07/2024

We now have Jonathan Green 2025 Calendars. Great Stocking Stuffers ... they go fast!

09/25/2024

Thanks to and the Indiana Historical Society - Southern Porches for visiting us on Tuesday 9-24-24. Hope you enjoyed the Lowcountry boil, and the entertainment provided by . Thanks to the men in the group for serving as her back-up singers and dancers. Come back soon!








Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage