As Stickman in the McIntosh County Shouters, Brenton Jordan carries forward more than 300 years of ancestral tradition. He sets the pace by rhythmically jolting the floor with a special cane while his family claps, sings, and moves in a counter-clockwise circle.
Together in motion, the ensemble honors their African ancestors, uniting them with the present and anchoring Gullah Geechee culture into the future.
The McIntosh County Shouters return to the Savannah Music Festival, featured in an interactive Q&A session Friday, April 1, and performing April 2 at Savannah Cultural Arts Center.
At 35-years-old, Jordan is the youngest member. His great-grandmother, Oneitha Ellison, was an important founder of the Shouters in 1980. The family performed in their community and on the sea islands surrounding McIntosh County before landing spots in festivals across the country, a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and an album recorded with Smithsonian Folklife. Jordan grew up steeped in the rhythms, stories, and songs of his African ancestors who endured the Middle Passage, emerged from enslavement, and triumphed during Civil Rights.
Credit: Photo provided
Credit: Photo provided
“The shout came from Africa and refers to the dancelike counter-clockwise movement we perform,” intoned Jordan. “Because dancing was prohibited in the Baptist church, and so were drums, our ancestors couldn’t reference anything about dancing. To preserve culture and community, the ring shout became an act of resistance that connected us spiritually with each other and our ancestors.”
The shout, practiced along the coastal south from Jacksonville, N.C., to Jacksonville, Florida, is a hallmark of the Gullah Geechee corridor. But the African movements and cadences had to be transformed in order to maintain them. The Gullah Geechee replaced high-step dancing with a shuffle motion, thumped a stick on wooden floors instead of using drums, and made sure the shout happened after church services. The songs shifted to incorporate Christian imagery and scripture that defied slavery.
In America, the ring shout grew into a transformative spiritual experience that brought African culture from the past and mixed it with new religious symbols and expressions as a living act of resistance.
Credit: Photo provided
Credit: Photo provided
“It really brings so many different elements to bear,” said Jordan. “The counterclockwise circle connects with Congolese cosmology and respects the lunar and sun cycle and the circular nature of life and death. A song I really enjoy performing is 'Jubilee.' It’s mostly associated with emancipation, but it has deep Christian and African spirituality running through it.”
Behind-the-scenes moments from a 2017 Smithsonian Folkways documentary highlight "Jubilee." The video reveals individual components of the shout. The Songster initiates the song, calling, "shout my children you are free," to which clapping singers respond, "oh my Lord, my lord Jubilee," as they shuffle-step together in a circle.
The Stickman’s insistent beat can be heard above the calling, clapping, and stepping, creating a visceral, trance-like expression of freedom and spiritual connection.
While some songs celebrate emancipation, others like “Blow Gabriel” tap into biblical scripture and Christian gospel in delivering inspiration. Songs like “Hold the Baby,” “Lay Down Body,” and “John on the Island” reflect enslaved Gullah Geechee life. These often contain hidden metaphors or bits of pithy sentiments that couldn’t be openly expressed in day-to-day life. Singing these together strengthened the group and grew as expressions of solidarity.
“Even though these songs are never sung the same way twice, they must start the same way,” emphasized Jordan.
“There’s a certain way to begin and sing each one, certain words that must be said, and the voice must rise and fall in certain places to convey the message and emotion behind the song. This is how tradition stays in place, but also brings forth something new.”
Credit: Photo provided
Credit: Photo provided
The McIntosh County Shouters perform regularly with the Musical Explorers Program in Savannah — their next performance is in May — and in June the ensemble is featured in the annual Juneteenth celebration in Darien, Georgia. Plus, they recently wrapped up filming “Freedom’s Path,” a drama that takes place during the Underground Railroad and is anticipated for release later this year.
“Keeping the shout tradition alive is important because no matter the time span, the messages in these songs are still relevant. And it’s a reminder that our ancestors are with us. The ring shout has always been a way for me to connect with people I haven’t gotten a chance to meet in this life, and it continues to connect me with new people and experiences in this life, like a circle.”
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: McIntosh County Shouters return to Savannah Music Festival 'keeping shout tradition alive'
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