Did Ya Know

Did Ya Knoh

Charleston's churches (specifically AME) has it's own clap? Yaaaaaas Lawd! Some of my fondest memories as a lil kid runnin' round Ebenezer AME was seeing the elders mach round da church with this rhythmic tribal clap. They also changed every gospel song into a soul capturing, emotional, spirit filled, rhythmic journey of a true African worship ceremony. Now as I got older and began listening to other styles of gospel music (especially in Cali. They don't know nothing bout what I'm talking about right now) I realized that the rhythm is very much connected to slavery, pain, tradition and ancestors that has transitioned on in victory and triumph. Yes. true worshup. However, rejoice because it keeps you connected to ya ruts heah! And lookya, the way the barritones, altos, dem 1st, 2nd and 3rd sopranos blend all together was a sound to be heard! See it came from somewhere only the soul could Feel. Now, if you don't have an eah for it then it sounds like an ol' chitlin circuit group (no disrespect). Liken it to the chain gangs. If you listen long enough you feel some kind of way hearing those men repetitive chants inbetween that hammer come smashing down. Sometimes here in SoCal I will begin a worship within a worship and do the 'Charleston clap' I was raised on--teeheehee. It keeps me close to home...

I want the younger generations and those who are non-geechee to grasp and understand the POWER in the clap. The elders held on to it because it spoke loudly about the way 'Africans now Americans' chose to worshup the God they were introduced to as JESUS! Like with food, language and movement the geechee people held on tight with their spiritual hands and created the closet thread to African culture here in the Carolinas. And I'm thankful for it! I know it's probably yet another dying tradition, but I lalalalaluv it! We have to start preserving our history geechee family. moregeechee@blogspot.com is adding to that. Another resource for ya. Lookya as our elders are transitioning we have to be able to hold on to God's unchanging clap! 

 Read more about it at

 reuters.com>go to news>charleston clap   (by Harriet Mcleod)

Posting by PT