The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs presents WOKE: Rattling Bones, Conversations, Sacred Rites and Holy Places at City Gallery

April 3 through May 6

The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs presents WOKE: Rattling Bones, Conversations, Sacred Rites and Holy Places at City Gallery April 3 through May 6, 2018, curated by Dr. Ade Ofunniyin, Executive Director of the Gullah Society and Project Director of the Gullah Society Sacred Burial Ground Projects. A preview reception will be held at the City Gallery on March 28 from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Multiple community conversations and workshops are planned through the run of the exhibition; a complete list of events is available at charleston-sc.gov/citygallery. All events are open to the public and free to attend.

Using the unearthing of remains of 36 likely African-descended individuals during the 2013 renovation of the Gaillard Center as a point of departure, the exhibition will serve as a learning laboratory to share information and documentation about newly recognized and at-risk cultural heritage sites. The intention of the exhibition is to allow the public to participate in the process of honoring ancestral generations and to stimulate awareness to promote understanding and stewardship of Charleston’s past.

Visitors to the exhibition will learn about the “Anson Street Burials Project,” including the archaeological, historical and scientific research associated with the site. The exhibition will frame the questions, Who were these people? How did they come to be buried here? — and most importantly — What are their stories? These individuals—buried in the mid-late 1700s—are among the earliest-known burials in Charleston, and the unearthing of their remains provides an opportunity to more fully investigate and document past and present African descendant identity in the Charleston area, through DNA, family history, and genealogical research.

“We are excited about this significant opportunity to reconcile the past, and honor the people buried on this sacred ground,” says Gullah Society founder, Dr. Ade Ofunniyin. “We hope that future DNA research, in combination with long since completed archaeological research, will help us learn more about the individuals buried at this site.”

The exhibition will further explore cultural legacies by documenting research and field work currently underway at other locations throughout Charleston and the Lowcountry. This will include documentary photographs by renowned photographer Leonard Freed taken during the Civil Rights era that capture burial and religious practices on Johns Island, and other iconic images of South Carolina and the Southeastern United States.

About the Curator

Dr. Ade Ofunniyin is the founder of the Gullah Society and an adjunct professor at the College of Charleston. Dr. Ofunniyin previously curated several exhibitions at City Gallery; his most recent was Egungun Masquerade: Dance of the Ancestors.

The Gullah Society is a nonprofit organization created to assist those seeking to reconnect with their Gullah heritage, African history and culture. It aims to develop methods that will provide Gullah Geechee people with skills in identifying and preserving sites, historical data, artifacts, and objects associated with Gullah Geechee people and culture, for the benefit and education of all.  The Society accomplishes these goals by working with communities to preserve sacred burial grounds, Gullah Geechee identity, and history.

In developing indigenous scholars, artists/artisans, cultural craftspeople, and performers, Gullah Society focuses on artistic, oral history/storytelling and performance processes that are committed to bringing positive reconciliation and pride to Gullah Geechee people and their history. By emphasizing the development of entrepreneurs who will provide opportunities for Gullah Geechee people, Gullah Society recognizes the need for appropriate economic development, adequate job training programs, and entrepreneurial and educational opportunities.

About City Gallery

City Gallery, located at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Waterfront Park, is owned by the City of Charleston and operated by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, presenting an annual program of exhibitions and events featuring the finest contemporary art from local, regional, national and international artists, with a focus on the Lowcountry. City Gallery provides access to the visual arts for everyone in Charleston, visitors and residents alike, by offering exhibits that are all admission-free City Gallery is located at 34 Prioleau St. in downtown Charleston, and gallery hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, noon until 5 p.m. For more information and holiday closures, visit www.charleston-sc.gov/citygallery or call 843-958-6484.