Looking at Gullah Geechee Culture through a Captivating Coloring Book

When we visited Darien, Georgia I picked up a copy of the McIntosh Life Spring 2026 section of the Darien News. Inside was an interesting article about local Harris Neck artist Mya Timmons. The article (Creating Art, Preserving Culture by Kathleen Russell) included a couple of Mya’s illustrations from her coloring book for children called The Gullah Geechee Plant Guide Coloring Book. I became so enamored with these illustrations that I decided to find a copy of her coloring book for myself!

I bought a copy of the deluxe edition and immediately realized that it was more than just a coloring book. Mya Timmon’s Gullah Geechee Plant Guide Coloring Book is actually a tribute to her community and an important contribution toward preserving the Gullah Geechee culture.

Who are the Gullah Geechee?

Now you might be asking, who are the Gullah Geechee, and why is The Footloose Scribbler writing about them?

The Gullah Geechee are a community of descendants living in the United States, whose ancestors came from West Africa. (Note that Gullah Geechee descendants also live in the Bahamas, Mexico, Nova Scotia, and Sierra Leone.)

During the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade of the early-1500’s through the mid-1800’s, millions of Africans were captured, enslaved, and brought to North, Central, and South America.

The Gullah mostly originated from Southwest African countries like Angola, and Western African countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone. They were taken to what is now North and South Carolina, including the Sea Islands.

The Geechee originated from West-African countries like Sierra Leone and Liberia. They were brought to what is now Georgia and northern Florida. Mya told me that even the name Geechee is sometimes divided into Saltwater Geechee (people who live near the coast) and Freshwater Geechee (people who live inland).

Because their origins are complicated, the community usually just refers to themselves as Gullah-Geechee. Mya said she refers to herself as Gullah Geechee, or sometimes just Geechee for short.

A National Park Service website has this to say about Gullah Geechee: “because their enslavement was on isolated coastal plantations, sea and barrier islands, they were able to retain many of their indigenous African traditions. These traditions are reflected in their foodways, arts and crafts, and spiritual traditions.”

Now to answer the last question–why is The Footloose Scribbler writing about this in a travel blog? It’s because I became interested in Gullah Geechee culture after my husband and I took day trips to the Harris Neck Wildlife Refuge and Sanibel Island of Georgia. Both areas count Gullah Geechee among their residents. I recommend that visitors to Georgia and other southern states learn a bit about Gullah Geechee history and culture to enrich their travel experience.

A University Project

Mya’s first coloring book was published in 2023 by the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. Mya, along with her cousin Kayla Brennon, were actually interns on a University project headed up by Dr. Elizabeth King. It was Mya and Kayla’s job to interview members of the Gullah Geechee community in Georgia and South Carolina, to put together a list of plants that were culturally important.

After finishing her part in the project, Mya decided to create a coloring book. The McIntosh Life article Creating Art, Preserving Culture by Kathleen Russell quotes Mya as wanting to create an interest in “the younger crowd.” Because she is an illustrator who likes to do character design, Mya thought that creating characters for each plant would be a good way “to help tell their story.” (Unfortunately, I could not find a link to Ms. Russell’s article.)

The Gullah Geechee Plant Guide Coloring Book

Deluxe Edition

The first copy of Mya’s coloring book was made available for free to local schools and park-visitor centers; but by the time I heard of it, it was no longer available. Luckily, Mya responded to my email and put me on a waiting list for the Deluxe Edition. After receiving my two copies, I can attest that it’s worth buying Mya Timmon’s Gullah Geechee Plant Guide Coloring Book Deluxe Edition!

There are twelve plants featured in the deluxe edition (the original edition is not for sale). A detailed description of the plant, written by Dr. Elizabeth King, precedes each illustration.

Next comes a two-page spread drawn by Mya Timmons. The first page is a drawing of the plant, and the second page is an illustration of the imaginary character inspired by that same plant. The results are totally charming.

The last page of each section is an explanation in Mya’s own words, of how she came up with her illustration and why the details in the drawing are important.

Why Should You Buy Mya Timmon’s Coloring Book?

People should buy Mya’s plant guide because it features twelve plants that are known to many people in the United States. For instance, anyone who visits the South is familiar with Spanish Moss. There is a great description of it in Mya’s book that says, it “grows in tangled clumps of long gray curls, hanging from branches of trees.” I was also particularly taken with Mya’s character of Spanish Moss–Papa Otis The Hard-Headed Fisherman. Though he is not a fisherman, Mya’s description of Papa Otis still fits my 100-year-old father: “Yet Papa Otis is still doing his thing and nobody can tell him nothing.”

The Deluxe Edition of Mya Timmons’ Coloring Book also includes extras that children will love, such as a word search, word scrambles, and an I Spy page. I highly recommend this book, even if you don’t plan on coloring it. You’ll learn something about Gullah Geechee culture in the South and why these plants were important to them.

One More Coloring Book Is Coming!

Mya told me that she has another coloring book in the works. “This next one,” she said, “will draw inspiration from my family’s seafood history as I explore the Gullah Geechee’s connection to water-Life. This coloring book will focus on the five shellfish that my family and I have had a relationship with for four generations now.”

You can buy Mya’s coloring book here at https://geecheeheadarts.com/ It would also make a great gift. I plan on saving mine for future grandchildren!