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God, Doctor Buzzard, and the Bolito Man: A Saltwater Geechee Talks about Life on Sapelo Island
"So I try to be as much as I can like an African griot. The griot kept the oral history of the tribe.... He was in charge of remembering everything. He was a storyteller." So writes Cornelia Walker Bailey, a storyteller indeed, in this rich account of the Geechee people of her native Sapelo Island, a barrier island off the coast of Georgia. The Saltwater Geechee are a group of African Americans directly descended from enslaved West Africans, whose cultural identity has been largely preserved due to the relative isolation of Sapelo.
In rhythmic, conversational prose, Bailey captures the experience of growing up in an island community that counted the spirits of its departed among its members, relied on pride and ingenuity in the face of hardship, and taught her firsthand how best to reap the bounty of the marshes, woods, and ocean that surrounded her. We learn of Miss Katie Underwood, the island midwife who relies on ancient custom when birthing babies, of Grandma Winnie, whose taste for moonshine and men doesn't get in the way of her earning the love of her steadfast husband, of dream-signs, natural portents, and the "root" magic that certain elders have the power to perform.
Part cultural history, part memoir, God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man tells the story of a people whose traditional way of life is threatened by change, and whose stories and customs speak to our deepest notions of family, community, and the connection to one's homeland.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2000
22 people are currently reading
674 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 6, 2024
This was a perfect conclusion to my enjoyable trip to this island!
I recently returned from a wonderful visit to the Barrier Islands of Georgia.
This area is composed of eight major islands and island groups, which comprise the 100 miles of coast between Savanna and the St. Marys River. Of interest, due to a fascinating history of land ownership and actual far-sighted conservation laws, Georgia has the least disturbed coast on the eastern seaboard. My stay there and some of the tales I heard influenced me to read this thoroughly enjoyable book.
My group was enjoyably treated to a talk about Sapelo Island by Michele Johnson,an artist, writer and information specialist. She grew up there and is an expert raconteur on all things related to Sapelo Island. The following day, after our ferry trip there, she took us in a rickety old bus, on a trip around this island. It was good to recall viewing this place while reading this stirring book.
Bailey clearly and movingly painted a picture of this beautiful island, from a personal and historic perspective.This writer was born and grew up there. Her writing style is very engaging. She tells of the growth, the toils and the successes of the island. Her tale is sad also because the inhabitants had such a warm, hard working community there, but gradually has devolved to a decrease in the numbers.
For an interesting, fairly complete history of Sapelo, I suggest reading this entertaining, informative book. It is good to know of its past and development. In the early 19th century, Thomas Spalding, who became a Georgia Senator and US Representative, bought the island, and developed it into a plantation. He brought 400 slaves to the island from the West Indies and West Africa to work the plantation and build the Spalding Mansion. Thomas Spalding was considered a kind slave owner! During the War of 1812,he armed his slaves to ward off the British.
The islands, also known as Sea Islands are famed for their beauty and renown for the superior rice and cotton grown there. At first, in the 1700's, planters did not know how to grow these crops. They learned that traditional rice- growing areas of Africa would fill their demand. Thus started a new wave of slave trading from West Africa. The traders brought so many people from these tribes they soon outnumbered others on the Sea Islands. Of course this influenced the culture there. They spoke a common language,a Creole. Everyone began to be known as “Geechee” and “Gullah”. Bailey has discussed some interesting theories about how all this came to be.
Much of the island is now owned by the state of Georgia. There is also a mansion with impressive statues, once owned by RJ Reynolds, of tobacco fame. Many island inhabitants had been employed there. Until the 40's and 50's, there were 5 communities of more than 450 people. All had lived on the land since the Civil War when the freed slaves inhabited it. Most of the Barrier Islands are accessible by means of bridges, but it is necessary to reach Sapelo by ferry. The 70+ inhabitants must use this means to go to jobs or school on the mainland. This has contributed to the decline in population there.
I have been informed about many things learned from reading Bailey's work. She tells much, much more, including their customs, superstitions, their strong family bonds, their life on this island. It is a compelling book, often resembling the suspense of a novel.
I recently returned from a wonderful visit to the Barrier Islands of Georgia.
This area is composed of eight major islands and island groups, which comprise the 100 miles of coast between Savanna and the St. Marys River. Of interest, due to a fascinating history of land ownership and actual far-sighted conservation laws, Georgia has the least disturbed coast on the eastern seaboard. My stay there and some of the tales I heard influenced me to read this thoroughly enjoyable book.
My group was enjoyably treated to a talk about Sapelo Island by Michele Johnson,an artist, writer and information specialist. She grew up there and is an expert raconteur on all things related to Sapelo Island. The following day, after our ferry trip there, she took us in a rickety old bus, on a trip around this island. It was good to recall viewing this place while reading this stirring book.
Bailey clearly and movingly painted a picture of this beautiful island, from a personal and historic perspective.This writer was born and grew up there. Her writing style is very engaging. She tells of the growth, the toils and the successes of the island. Her tale is sad also because the inhabitants had such a warm, hard working community there, but gradually has devolved to a decrease in the numbers.
For an interesting, fairly complete history of Sapelo, I suggest reading this entertaining, informative book. It is good to know of its past and development. In the early 19th century, Thomas Spalding, who became a Georgia Senator and US Representative, bought the island, and developed it into a plantation. He brought 400 slaves to the island from the West Indies and West Africa to work the plantation and build the Spalding Mansion. Thomas Spalding was considered a kind slave owner! During the War of 1812,he armed his slaves to ward off the British.
The islands, also known as Sea Islands are famed for their beauty and renown for the superior rice and cotton grown there. At first, in the 1700's, planters did not know how to grow these crops. They learned that traditional rice- growing areas of Africa would fill their demand. Thus started a new wave of slave trading from West Africa. The traders brought so many people from these tribes they soon outnumbered others on the Sea Islands. Of course this influenced the culture there. They spoke a common language,a Creole. Everyone began to be known as “Geechee” and “Gullah”. Bailey has discussed some interesting theories about how all this came to be.
Much of the island is now owned by the state of Georgia. There is also a mansion with impressive statues, once owned by RJ Reynolds, of tobacco fame. Many island inhabitants had been employed there. Until the 40's and 50's, there were 5 communities of more than 450 people. All had lived on the land since the Civil War when the freed slaves inhabited it. Most of the Barrier Islands are accessible by means of bridges, but it is necessary to reach Sapelo by ferry. The 70+ inhabitants must use this means to go to jobs or school on the mainland. This has contributed to the decline in population there.
I have been informed about many things learned from reading Bailey's work. She tells much, much more, including their customs, superstitions, their strong family bonds, their life on this island. It is a compelling book, often resembling the suspense of a novel.
March 31, 2018
Set in St. Helena, S.C. Folk tales and black magic. I found the book to be too boring but the author is an excellent writer, just that folk tales have always bored me. So a 4 star for content and writing, 3 stars due to my own lack of interest.
September 24, 2018
I spent so many wonderful summer evenings sitting in porch rockers with this book. I loved it from the first page. I’ve wanted to become more familiar with the Sea Islands since reading The Book of Negroes. My quest for more information may be how I found God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man. Described as part cultural history, part memoir, this book invites us into the lives of the residents of Sapelo Island and the enduring beliefs of Geechee and Gullah people. The story is told by Cornelia Walker Bailey, a lifelong resident of Sapelo Island and direct descendent of Bilali Muhammad, brought to the island as a slave in 1803. After reading this book, an uncomfortable feeling of naiveté came over me when thinking about how far I’ve traveled to experience different societal cultures. So I checked to see if Ms. Bailey was still on the island giving tours. That’s when I learned she died less than a year ago.
July 7, 2013
This was a very interesting tale about Ms. Bailey's life on Sapelo Island and a brief history of the how the Geechee people came to reside on the island in the days of slavery. I loved how she also detailed her trip to Sierra Leone and how fascinating it was to discover that many tenants of her culture on Sapelo Island mirrored the culture in Sierra Leone. She even marveled over how the landscape was similar in both locations! I was happy to see that she succinctly documented how her culture is becoming endangered on the island due to outside forces trying to buy their land out from under them and the lack of jobs forcing young Geechee relatives to seek work on the mainland. I've visited this island, and it truly is an island paradise. The few hours you're able to visit the island during the tour simply doesn't do it justice. It is a beautiful place with equally beautiful people, and I wish them nothing but the best!
July 1, 2014
An amazing and beautiful book. The perfect combination of memoir and folklore. When, as a small child, the author died and came back to life, her family predicted that she would do important work on this earth; they were right. Cornelia Walker Bailey is indeed a special person and gifted storyteller. May her efforts to protect the Geechee presence on Sapelo succeed.
May 15, 2025
May Mrs. Cornelia Walker Bailey rest in peace. I had the honor of meeting one of her children on Sapelo to learn about the many projects on Sapelo. If you loved this book, support projects like SOLO (Save Our Legacy Ourself), The Sapelo Project, and the Sapelo Island Culture and Revitalization Society. I hope more people read this wonderful book and continue the legacy of Mrs. Cornelia Walker Bailey.
April 19, 2015
My family and I recently took a weekend trip to Sapelo Island. Our initial reason for going was to see the lighthouse, as we're big fans of the old towers. Along with the lighthouse, however, we discovered this amazing place with presence and history that I had been completely unaware of. On a stop during the tour, I found this book. I am SO glad that I did! Mrs. Bailey describes the culture of the Geechee/Gullah people and the folklore that she grew up with. She is an amazing storyteller. The people on the island are descended from African slaves, and on a trip to that land she discovered where a lot of her family's traditions came from. The tone of the book is real, and openhearted. You can feel the emotions in her words as she describes things that happened or what she felt when confronted with situations. If you get a chance to visit the island, I highly recommend it, but even if you don't, you won't regret reading this book.
March 15, 2015
At first I wasn't sure about this book. Reading it is like sitting down with Cornelia and listening to her tell a story, which is what she became...a storyteller. Once I got into it, I loved hearing the stories and traditions about her life and life on the island, which, like many traditions, make sense in some ways, other ways not.
I loved her curiosity and keenly felt her feelings about slavery times more than many books I've read. By the end of the book, her circle is complete and yet though she's learned of her ancestors and generations past, the future and descendants remain her life's purpose.
Only we Americans would like of going to another country to capture people and bring them here to do our work, adopt our culture, and support our lifestyle.
I loved her curiosity and keenly felt her feelings about slavery times more than many books I've read. By the end of the book, her circle is complete and yet though she's learned of her ancestors and generations past, the future and descendants remain her life's purpose.
Only we Americans would like of going to another country to capture people and bring them here to do our work, adopt our culture, and support our lifestyle.
November 24, 2013
Thoroughly enjoyable book about Mrs. Bailey; her family, culture, home and customs. Told in a conversational style, this book makes you feel like Cornelia is sitting with you telling her tales. There is so much interesting info about the Geechee culture and how those things are one fading away. It was also interesting, yet sad to learn how the families on Sapelo Island were driven to other places by unfairness, greed, and other things out of their control. Mrs. Bailey is keeping her families stories and their cultural stories alive with her storytelling. You will meet a lot of quirky characters in this memoir and you will be taken to many interesting places.
March 28, 2014
Excellent little book about Sapelo written by a woman who knows it well. I enjoyed the stories about her family and the folklore, also the history of the saltwater Geechees who were brought to the island as slaves and who, many of them, bought land there after the Civil War. Bailey's voice is especially evocative and a treat to read. She writes about the industrialist Richard Reynolds and the State of Georgia moving the Geechee people off their land. I wonder how many families of the original Geechee still live on Sapelo? This is a fascinating corner of American history and well worth exploring.
November 19, 2017
Very moving memoir of life on Sapelo Island (Georgia). The author's storytelling is superb and you feel bathed in the warmth of the Geeche people who were able to retain lots of their African retentions despite being African captives in the US. That way of life has been compromised and the number of Geechee's on the island reduced because of the encroachment of developers from the mainland. Ms. Bailey's remembrances reminded so much of my late grandmother. While "Mother" was not a Geechee, some of the housekeeping practices, spiritual beliefs and food/gardening traditions were familiar to me.
July 3, 2023
Such a great read! We are planning a family vacation on St.Simons Island soon. A friend told me that we should try to visit Sapelo Island, where some of her family members, descendants of slaves on the original plantation there, had lived until migrating north.
Cornelia Walker Bailey Christina Bledsoe (who has a lot of names) is a fantastic story teller. The book reads as though you are sitting at her kitchen table hearing her talk!
I had also just read Images of America series "Sapelo Island" by Buddy Sullivan. I found it disturbing in so many ways. He starts by introducing us to slave owner and plantation owner Thomas Spaulding, who was known for his "humane treatment" of his slaves. Later in the book he discussed one community on the island where former slaves had purchased land and owned their homes. He says that under R.J. Reynolds' ownership of the island, that community of Black people moved to another part of the island, making it sound as if it was by their choice. Cornelia W.B.C.Bledsoe clears that right up!
Cornelia Walker Bailey Christina Bledsoe (who has a lot of names) is a fantastic story teller. The book reads as though you are sitting at her kitchen table hearing her talk!
I had also just read Images of America series "Sapelo Island" by Buddy Sullivan. I found it disturbing in so many ways. He starts by introducing us to slave owner and plantation owner Thomas Spaulding, who was known for his "humane treatment" of his slaves. Later in the book he discussed one community on the island where former slaves had purchased land and owned their homes. He says that under R.J. Reynolds' ownership of the island, that community of Black people moved to another part of the island, making it sound as if it was by their choice. Cornelia W.B.C.Bledsoe clears that right up!
March 24, 2022
I really enjoyed this book about the Geechee people off the coast of Georgia. I was familiar with the Gullah people but not the closely related (apparently) Geechee. The stories of their experiences and beliefs are quite interesting but the end of the book that speaks to the loss of their land on the island is riveting. Seriously, how many ways and for how many years can the dominant culture continue to dispossess the descendants of the Africans brought here against their will?
May 26, 2023
A charming memoir of growing up on the Sea Islands and the family history, traditions and culture that created this fading community. The author comes to realize and appreciate her African origins, the long lasting effects of slavery and racism and the importance of telling the stories. Reading this gave an added depth to the Sea Island history section in the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC. Just one example: There is a beautiful, handmade, rice “fanning” basket front and center on display but without much explanation. God, Dr Buzzard, etc. gives you the story and the people that makes it real.
June 3, 2017
Preparing to spend a week with the Gullah/Geechee people on Sapelo Island in July by reading this wonderful book. I found this part of American history fascinating and come away with a better understanding of why the label of African American is so important to descendants of slaves. I loved the stories and folklore throughout this book! Wonderful read!
May 3, 2020
I spent four years in the Lowcountry in the early 90s and am now just coming to terms with how ignorant I was of the rich culture surrounding the Geechee and Gullah people of the barrier islands. This is more of an oral history than a memoir, but a beautiful recollection of a childhood spent growing up on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Highly recommended.
March 2, 2022
Granted, my review may be a bit biased...I LOVE a great story...I LOVE Geechee Culture...and I LOVE Sapelo Island. Cornelia Walker Bailey truly understood the assignment. I enjoyed all the stories and folk telling. It feels eerily authentic and it was a beautiful tribute to and for her home. I enjoyed this read.
September 21, 2025
This is an important and interesting read about a culture and ways that should be supported to continue. It would be sad to lose this culture entirely. It’s also an enjoyable read that is not at all dry, obviously written by a story teller.
September 14, 2017
halfway done
November 5, 2017
Fascinating memoir. Sad that Ms. Bailey recently passsed away.
March 29, 2018
Good read about a different culture set on Sapelo Island, GA
April 30, 2021
Thought provoking book. Interesting to think about rituals and beliefs passed through the generations. I enjoyed how the author weaved her rituals into those she discovered on her visit to Africa.
July 30, 2021
Powerful storytelling- very interesting! I was hooked by each chapter- captivating.
February 15, 2023
Beautiful cultural perspective
March 28, 2024
Powerful! Should be required reading, especially for people who live near the Georgia Coast.
March 9, 2025
Just incredible
July 6, 2024
While I enjoyed this book overall the middle felt like a rambling of random thoughts and memories of the island, with no story line. The beginning and end really drew me in, and I do recommend if you’re not familiar with the Gullah geechee on SE Atlantic coast.
August 28, 2025
A fascinating true story book about the Gullah and Geechee people in South Carolina, Georgia. I LOVED THIS BOOK!
July 25, 2011
This memoir, while describing life on a Georgian island, resonated with me even more keenly because of the simple connections and similarities between their post slavery culture and ours in Trinidad. The author refers to their equivalent to our sugar cake, belly bands', burying the navel string, Anancy, soucouyant, sweet soap, the game of whey whey, obeah man, frizzle fowl, among others. Thoroughly readable, memorable and important, this work also lauds the preservation of cultural identity in the face of encroaching modernity. Caribbean people, we can identify!!
June 23, 2009
This is a wonderful book that shares the personal story of Ms. Bailey growing up on Sapelo Island. It also shares many details of the culture and folk tales of the Geechee people. Ms. Bailey still lives on Sapelo. You may visit her "inn" on the island as she is an advocate and historian for the 67 residents who still can trace their roots back to the days of slavery on Sapelo. If you are interested in the sea islands, read this book and visit Sapelo.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews