Description

Author/Contributor(s):	Bailey, Cornelia Walker; Bledsoe, Christena
Publisher:	Anchor
Date:	7/17/2001
Binding:	Paperback
Condition:	NEW

Equal parts cultural history and memoir,
God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man recountsa traditional way of life–that of the Geechee Indians of Sapelo Island– that is threatened by change, with stories that speak toour deepest notions of family, community, and a connection to one’s homeland.

CorneliaWalker Bailey models herself after the African griot, the tribal storytellers whokeep the history of their people. Bailey’s people are the Geechee, whose culturalidentity has been largely preserved due to the relative isolation of Sapelo, a barrierisland off the coast of Georgia. In this rich account, Bailey captures the experienceof growing up in an island community that counted the spirits of its departed amongits members, relied on pride and ingenuity in the face of hardship, and taught herfirsthand how best to reap the bounty of the marshes, woods and ocean that surroundedher. The power of this memoir to evoke the life of Sapelo Island is remarkable, andthe history it preserves is invaluable.

“A special book that reveals the unconquerable spirit of a people who, though torn from their African homeland, imprinted America with a unique culture that continues to endure.” —Ebony