Sewee Tribal Legacy

By now I'm pretty sure you guys have a good idea of how much we love South Carolina and the amazing diversity of things there is to do and see here. But, as we've said about so many of the other treasures our country has to offer, it isn't always the really "flashy" stuff that winds up being fascinating. It can be something as simple as what's right under your feet. We found just such an example at the Sewee Nature Preserve on Cape Romaine - a place you have visited with us once before. This time it was a trip to the mysterious Sewee Shell Rings. (The Sewee were a tribe living along the coast between what is now lower Georgetown county and the area around Charleston.) Although the Sewee were very helpful to early South Carolina settlers, exposure to smallpox and alcohol decimated the population, so much of their history and culture has been lost with little having been recorded.

Near Awendaw, S.C., not far off of US-17 between Charleston and Mclellanville, the Sewee Shell Ring Trail lies between the Environmental center and the Bull's Island Nature Preserve. A pretty, circular wooded trail - complete with interpretive signs - leads from a small parking area to both the oyster shell rings and the Clam Shell Midden. The diversity of vegetation here is rather remarkable - including many unusual fungi, mosses and mushrooms.  At the time of our visit we were also surprised by the silence of the woods around us. I suppose that the time of day, the season of the year andother things were factors but, for whatever reason, a deep, peaceful silence prevailed, punctuated by the sighing wind and distant ocean sounds.  Sometimes it's kind of hard to get your mind around the fact that a place like this was a thriving, active community for thousands of years, leaving behind few explanations but countless questions. Archaeologists from the National Forest Service are busily attempting to preserve the area and trying to unlock some of its mysteries.



While, at first glance, it is difficult to pick out some of the features of the village sites, the trails lead visitors past the key features of the area. A great boardwalk outlines the southern edge of the oyster ring and includes a number of interpretive signs. The number of shells required to create such a structure is truly awesome and when you realize that they are replicated down the South Carolina coast - and all the way to Florida - something waaay more serious than an oyster roast was going on!!!!!!
 
The mounds of clam shells - or 'middens' - are relatively new (onlydating back bout six hundred years) and are generally thought to be simply village 'dump' sites. But two things are quite clear. First, the Sewee were very organized in discarding shells and, second, they ate a LOT of clams.


Interestingly, despite the changes wrought by the passage of thousands of years, the serene tidal creeks and flourishing oyster beds seem poised to host a new village any moment.


The oyster shell rings are another story altogether.  As we strolled along the boardwalk we saw two people, one of whom was carrying a shovel, walking in a wooded section of the oyster ring - in a clearly protected area.


Naturally, Linda had to challenge them with .... Hey!! Ya'll aren't supposed to be down there!! To which they replied, "You're right - except we're Forest Service archaeologists inspecting the area." To which we replied .. "Oh..!!" That was our introduction to Clare Graf and Olga Caballero from the US Forest Service, two delightful ladies who shared lots of information with us and answered our numerous questions. We had fun chatting with them and appreciate their dedication to helping preserve sites such as this for all of us.

As we discussed the effects of Hurricane Hugo (1989) on the area Olga and Clare pointed out the effects of another natural phenomenon which were even more dramatic than those left by Hugo.  In 1991, while the area was still trying to shake off the effects of the huge hurricane, an enormous forest fire ravaged the Sewee Basin.  Virtually every piece of fauna was destroyed and the area looked like a lunar landscape - only worse.  Countless stumps, fallen trees and charcoal deposits leave a lasting reminder of the effects of such infernos.  But ... the real miracle is that only those fading vestiges belie the devastation that occurred.  Mother nature is strong and relentless and she is not going to allow things to stay 'devastated' for long.  The area has rebounded incredibly well and is, perhaps, even more beautiful than before.
 
After leaving the Sewee Oyster Ring site we headed down US-17 for a short way to the Cape Romain/Sewee Environmental Center to visit with some of our newest South Carolinians - two beautiful Red Wolf sisters who recently arrived from Maryland. Traveling with two rabid environmentalists is kinda tough sometimes since they tend to want to jailbreak captive wildlife when they don't think enough space has been provided in the habitat. But in this instance the sisters are still getting acclimated to the area and will hopefully have an expanded habitat in the not-too-distant future. They are amazing and beautiful creatures and we are happy to have them in the Palmetto state.  After a cool visit with the wolves it's time to mosey on back up the coast so we'll pause for now.  But - we'll be back soon with more stuff to share so take a brief break and come on back to join us.  See ya.

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