Video: McIntosh County Shouters: Gullah-Geechee Ring Shout from Georgia
The McIntosh County Shouters perform a traditional ring shout at a concert for the Library of Congress.
The ring shout is a “compelling fusion of counterclockwise dance-like movement, call-and-response singing, and percussion consisting of hand claps and a stick beating the rhythm on a wooden floor. African in its origins, the ring shout affirms oneness with the Spirit and ancestors as well as community cohesiveness.” The practice likely traveled to the modern United States from the West Indies during the era of slavery. Both outdoors or inside a church, ring shouts could go on for hours, to the point of exhaustion, producing an ecstatic religious reverie in the dancers.
In this video provided by the Library of Congress, the McIntosh County Shouters perform Gullah-Geechee Ring Shout at a concert at the Library. The McIntosh County Shouters are a ten-person Gullah-Geechee group who have worked to revive the ring shout from near-disappearance in the 1980s. They have been recognized with numerous awards, honors, and spotlights at festivals and in film.
About TOTA
TOTA.world provides cultural information and sharing across the world to help you explore your Family’s Cultural History and create deep connections with the lives and cultures of your ancestors.
