they don ’ t seem angry about how this development has impacted access to native sweetgrass , they have a sense of urgency to try to preserve what is left of their culture . Corey emphasized , “ It ’ s bigger than my generation . It moves forth for generations to come . It ’ s bigger than me as a basket maker .”
When speaking with Miss Georgette , a sweetgrass basket weaver from Mount Pleasant , I was struck by how bittersweet this project was for her . She expressed excitement about the Conservancy ’ s attempt to grow native sweetgrass on Johns Island , but she was saddened that due to the vast development in Mount Pleasant , basket weavers who have traditionally harvested in their local area for hundreds of years were now having to look for sweetgrass all the way in southern Johns Island , with some even traveling as far as Beaufort to find the sweetgrass they need .
Over the past year , learning from members of the Gullah Geechee community and local basket weavers has been an eye-opening experience . The traditions and culture that draw many of us to the Lowcountry are worth fighting for . Within our conservation efforts , we can work to do more than just preserve land from development ; we also have the chance to help preserve the history and culture that we love so much .
SWEETGRASS BASKET ARTISAN COREY ALSTON AND GEORGETTE WRIGHT SANDERS , A CONTEMPORARY MIXED MEDIA ARTISAN
34 • KIAWAH CONSERVANCY