Let’s all go to Gullah Gullah Island!
Gullah Gullah Island was created by Ron and Natalie Daise to highlight the dynamics of a Gullah family on St. Helena Island and the Gullah Geechee culture. Premiering in 1994, the children’s television series was a hit among Black families and became a cult classic. Now, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the beloved show, the Daise’s son and one of the stars of the original series, Simeon Daise, is bringing the next chapter to life in the new series “Gullah Gullah Island: The Portal,” Explore Beaufort SC reports.
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After his early childhood success on the show, Daise went on to forge a path for himself in Hollywood, appearing in various movies and hit shows over the years, including Queen Sugar, American Soul, All American, Snowfall, and Cheaper by the Dozen 2. October marked 30 years since Gullah Gullah Island first aired, and now Daise is spearheading a dramatic reimagining of the series, this time for the adults who grew up on the show.
“The show was created by way of us just being us and my parents just being them. They were cultural storytellers. To continue the legacy of authentic cultural representation is big…What Gullah Gullah Island represented was a safe space for a lot of kids. And now, as an adult, what does it look like to create a safe space for those adults?,” Daise told reporters.
He’s looking to fill a gap in cultural representation on television. While the show is an entirely new spin on the classic, Daise says that even Binya Binya pollywog will be reflected in the new series. There is no word yet on when it will air, but you can check out the first look trailer for “Gullah Gullah Island: The Portal” below.
Cover photo: Gullah Gullah Island Celebrates 30th Anniversary With New Reimagined Series of the Beloved Classic/Photo credit: The Daise Family/Explore Beaufort SC