II. 2. Culture

Every time a slave was sold, he had to make new friends and join new families. The family was the basic unit socially, economically, and culturally. Values and morals were taught within the family unit. These teachings spread to the community, where socialization begins. Marriage, not recognized by the masters, was a common occurrence. The slaves "jumped the broomstick" and were married.

Religion was an important aspect of culture. A slave could turn to religion during periods of stress and anxiety. Often there was a blending of old and new; African practice with Christian beliefs. The style of spirituals, for instance, was African in origin, but the ideas were based on Christian beliefs.

Music could often be heard on a farm. The slaves sang in the fields while they tended the crops. This kept their minds off of the jobs they were doing and let time pass easily. Often, the folk narratives joined with a song to instruct the children while entertaining them.

Dancing was a way of celebration on the farms. The slaves often performed ring dances or other types of dances, which originated in Africa and were passed down through the generations in the U.S.

The newly imported slaves also had to learn a new language in America, to be understood. Often, there was a developed shorthand which allowed for the expressions of needs and wants. If the slave worked closely with whites, his or her language became more compatible with English. In areas where there was a constant influx of new slaves, the slave language tended to stay closer to its African roots. The use of African words and language continued around the house and in non-white communities. The language differences let the slaves keep their distance from their owners.

One of the languages developed was Gullah. In the Sea Islands, slave ports near Charleston, there was a constant supply of new slaves . The new slaves spoke only their native language, therefore the old slaves had to use the language of their native lands as well as english to talk with the newcomers. The language of the slaves soon developed into a mixture of the old and new. Being cut off from the rest of the world, as the Islands were, made the ties to the language in Africa stronger. First generation slaves talked in their native tongue, second generation slaves talked in the new mixed language (McCrum, Cran, and MacNeil 208-233).

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