Finding Shared Roots Between South Carolina and Sierra Leone

As Sierra Leone opens for tourism, a Gullah woman takes the opportunity to return and connect with history.

To know where you’re going in life, you must understand where you came from. As an African American woman, that statement would have once caused me discomfort because of the Transatlantic slave trade, what it did to my ancestors who came here, and how slavery robbed them of their history and culture in many ways. Despite that, my ancestors still clung to traditions and passed them down through the generations so that they would never truly die. That’s how I found myself in Sierra Leone, staring off into a beautiful sunset filled with shades of violet, orange, and red with the sounds of the waves crashing into the white sand of Tokeh Beach on the western peninsula of Freetown.

It was my first night at The Place Resort and I wanted to step out of my small chalet to soak in the view before nightfall. As a descendant of the Gullah community from South Carolina, learning about my culture is what introduced me to Sierra Leone and our direct connection. But to have arrived in Sierra Leone and see it with my own eyes felt bittersweet. No matter how long it took, it felt like I had finally come home.

The city of Freetown has an interesting history. My guide, Osman Kamara with IPC Travel, is an expert when it comes to tourists like me (i.e., African Americans looking to learn more about their roots). During our city tour, he spoke about the connection with the Gullah people from South Carolina, and how many were able to resettle and find their freedom. It was the Gullah people along with the Maroons from Jamaica and the enslaved fleeing Nova Scotia and England in 1787 that reintegrated themselves back into their homeland, leading to the birth of what is now known as Freetown. It is the only place that has both a “Door of No Return” and also a “Door of Freedom” hence its name.

Trips like mine have become common over the last few years. In 2021, Sierra Leone announced a new pathway to citizenship for descendants of the country to encourage those of the diaspora to come back for economic opportunity. However, the country is still working to cast off the shadows of the history of a violent civil war over the country’s natural diamonds.

“Recovering from an 11-year civil war is very difficult, especially when the country is not properly placed economically,” explains Joseph Kaifala, a local historian and author who has witnessed the aftermath firsthand. “However, we have made some strides over the years to ensure that we solidify the peace we obtained in 2002.”

Those strides have helped Sierra Leone earn the name of the most peaceful country in Africa. Today, Freetown is like any other big city in West Africa with lively markets of merchants selling everything from foods to home goods to souvenirs. The country rests on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean with sandy beaches where you see kids learning to surf or playing a game of soccer with friends. Though the country is a Muslim-majority, you will still find many churches like the St. John’s Maroon Methodist Church in what’s known as Maroon Town, honoring their Jamaican roots to this day. It was also an emotional walk-through Bunce Island — the remains of the slave port and dungeons where the enslaved would leave to be shipped to the Americas and end up along the southeast coastline where I walked through what remained of the “Door of No Return” as my ancestors did.

During my trip, I saw the different aspects of culture that were preserved within the Gullah community like basketweaving, the spices in our foods, the similarities in accents and movements. It reminded me of when I first arrived in the Gullah corridor right near Hilton Head back in South Carolina and met locals in the community. It was that connection to the land that allowed the newly freed slaves to prosper in the mangroves along South Carolina’s coast, pulling from their knowledge of rice farming that would become one of the state’s most profitable crops.

“The parallels are there,” explains Ahmad Ward, Executive Director of Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park within the Gullah corridor. “Every aspect of life is basically woven from this connection between Sierra Leone and the coastline of South Carolina. At one point in time, [Freetown] became a beacon of hope for people. That is banner being waved to come home.”

My experience was meeting locals who greeted me warmly and seeing what Freetown had become today. It was my chance to feel a sense of homecoming. There was a moment on Bunce Island when I became sad after everything that I had learned about its history, but it was something Osman said while we were there that stuck with me.

“A Gullah person from South Carolina is still a Gullah person from Sierra Leone,” he said. That’s when the sadness lifted. I represented those who reclaimed their freedom and now I was able to come back to where it all began and connect to our shared past.

Tips for Planning a Trip to Sierra Leone

If you’re thinking of heading to Sierra Leone, here’s a few things to consider when planning your trip. When it comes to flights from the States, your best bet is to go with Turkish Airlines so you can take advantage of the stopover program in Istanbul and get the most out of your trip. Once you arrive at the airport in Sierra Leone, expect to take a 30-minute ferry to get to Freetown. It’s advised to make reservations ahead of time on the SeaCoach website.

Once settled, make sure to try some of the local cuisine. You can sample some Sierra Leonean jollof rice or Piri Piri chicken at Crown Bakery or opt for a cooking class with Chef Susan Senesie. Whatever you do, don’t leave without spending some time on the beach. If you’re interested in a livelier atmosphere with drinks and guesthouse options, River No. 2 Beach is popular with locals and tourists because of its beautiful views and mountainous backdrop.