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Saturday, July 24, 2021

Blue Porch Ceilings in the South

From Hunker - 

What It Means if You See a Blue Porch in the South

By ANNA GRAGERT 

When it comes to blue porch ceilings, you'll typically find them in the American South. Why? This design choice comes from a Gullah Geechee tradition that was started around 200 years ago.

According to the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission, the Gullah Geechee people are "descendants of Africans who were enslaved on the rice, indigo, and Sea Island cotton plantations of the lower Atlantic coast." Because of their location on island and coastal plantations, the Gullah Geechee developed their own distinct culture with West African roots.

Part of the Gullah Geechee culture involved folklore believing that ghosts called "haints" were unable to cross over water. So, to keep evil haints away from their homes, the Gullah Geechee began painting their front porch ceilings blue as a way to recreate the color of water. This color became known as "haint blue," according to ​Taste of Home​, and many would also use it to paint their doors and windows.

https://www.hunker.com/13767522/what-means-blue-porch-south


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