We Asked . . . Queen Quet
About the biggest threat to Gullah/Geechee culture and how others respond to her
The Post and Courier
Queen Quet stands with a stamping stick, which is used during The Shout and other spiritual rituals of the Gullah / Geechee culture.
Meet Queen Quet
Title: Chieftess and head-of-state for the Gullah/Geechee Nation
Residence: St. Helena Island (and Charleston on many work days.)
Hobbies: Reading, writing, dancing and enjoying the beauty of the Gullah/Geechee Nation's people and lands.
Age: Ageless.
Family: All mi Gullah/Geechee peepol.
Q: You became the first chief-tess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation nine years ago. Why did the Gullah/Geechee people need a queen?
A: The Gullah/Geechee people needed a leader and someone that would be an official spokesperson and leader in order to ensure that their needs were discussed. Many people were focusing on civil rights and local laws, but not on human rights and making sure that the language, culture and land were retained so that the culture would be continued from Jacksonville, N.C., to Jacksonville, Fla. People would generally look at an issue where they were when it suddenly came up, but did not try to unify all of our people so that we can work together and sustain ourselves from our own resources. That is actually our tradition. As a result, many families had been and were being displaced by laws that were leading to the displacement of Gullah/Geechees.
Q: How have people, both Gullah and Geechee people and outsiders, responded to you?
A: I have had mixed responses, most of them due to people not being educated on international law or history. Many people do not realize that the right to self-determination is a human right. Nor did they know that there were international laws that are meant to protect linguistic and ethnic minorities. So academics have attempted to incorrectly define the practice of self-determination that Gullah/Geechees took and have written inaccurate analyses of my official position because they are focused on things that they are "used to" and not that which is a precedent.
I also have encountered people that still did not want to accept that their own people could designate and elect their own leader. Most Gullah/Geechees that still practice our traditions have been very happy to know that we have gotten this far and applaud me. There are those that would prefer for our people to be tools of tourism and entertainment only, and they tend to have negative statements to make or inaccurate conclusions that they draw. However, I am thankful that God has had me among many forward-thinking people that are Gullah/Geechee and non-Gullah/Geechee that realize that my focus is for the uplifting of ALL Gullah/Geechee people and the realization of the protection of human rights for ALL people. So if there are those that work against that by not responding well to me, I simply continue to do what God has called me to do, and I pray for those folks.
Q: What would you like people to know about the Gullah/Geechee culture?
A: That Gullah/Geechee culture is a living culture that one has to live to fully understand. We descend from people of intellect and strength that continued to maintain their culture through determined hearts and faith in God. It is those of us that continue to work TOGETHER in that same spirit that are able to keep our global Gullah/Geechee family alive and the culture continuing within the Gullah/Geechee Nation.
Q: What is the biggest threat to the Gullah/Geechee culture?
A: The biggest threat to the culture is miseducation. Those that are incorrectly informed about what the culture is and what is best for the culture are often those put in positions to pass laws that will deeply affect the lands, waterways and traditions of the Gullah/Geechee Nation. These include those in political positions and those in academic positions. Many of them look only to the same incomplete information that has been published on Gullah/Geechees and then relegate Gullah/Geechees to the position of entities for the sake of tourism dollars without focusing on direct methods of assisting the Gullah/Geechees to empower themselves.
Q: Before you were Queen Quet, you were Marquetta Goodwine. How would your life be different if you had never been crowned?
A: My life would only be different in the sense that I may not have as many people inviting me to different countries with official bodyguards and protection and red carpets being laid out literally for me when I arrive and such. However, I still would have been working on behalf of my people to make sure that my traditions continued and to call together others around the world that want to assist with that process. I was doing that before my enstoolment and I do believe that I am purposed to continue. If I were not the Queen Mother and head of state, I might actually have had this thing that people tell me about, too: vacations.
Q: What do you do for fun?
A: For fun, I dance! I dance with friends and family, and everyone loves to dance with me until they have to sit down. I then dance with a whole new set of people. It would be wonderful if others could be part of the circle and feel the energy that I do in the dance.
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I am going to answer this the easiest way that the answer is coming:
When asked about my passion, Gullah/Geechee da de fuss ting wha cum ta mi!
Then when given stipulations on the answer, I have to think, "Hummm, let's see ..."
When I dance, I believe that all see the passion that flows
And they connect to the Godly Spirit that flows.
Seeking God is the greatest passion that I have each day.
That is why I do what I do and why I do them this way.
Ultimately all that I do is to uplift my people and make the world better than it was when I arrived.
I am passionate about making the Universal Declaration of Human Rights a living thing for which we all strive.
Most of all, when folks see the passion coming from me,
It stems from daily knowing I am Gullah/Geechee and blessed to be FREE!
- Kristen Hankla
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