Looking to visit Daufuskie?
We hear it all the time! Whether you’ve been vacationing on Hilton Head for years or are in the area for the first time, you’ve never visited Daufuskie Island. And you’re a bit fascinated with this quirky place and its unique name. To help you, we have put together a guide for your visit to Daufuskie Island.
Allow us to walk you through all things Daufuskie. Our entire staff is made up of full-time Daufuskie Island residents. We know the island, and we want to share that knowledge so you can get the most out of your visit to Daufuskie.
In this blog series, we will fill you in on tips, tricks and secrets to make your trip to Daufuskie Island as enjoyable as possible. We’ll fill you in on all of the best information for first time visitors.
But let’s start with one thing of utmost importance. How do you pronounce the name of this little island?
Daufuskie. Pronounced: “Da – fuss – kee” Easy.
And how did we get this unique name? It comes from two Native American terms; “daufu” meaning feather and “fuskie” meaning tip or point. The shape of the island is reflective of a point or tip of a feather, and the Muscogee Indians named it in reference to this shape. Some misguided, but well meaning, residents on the mainland offer the tale that the term is Gullah for “The First Key.” As it could have been one of the first islands seen coming in from the Atlantic. However this is nothing but a tale. Daufuskie had her unique name long before any plantations had been established or slaves from West Africa brought to Daufuskie Island.
Now that you know how to pronounce our name, and a bit of trivia tied to Daufuskie, take a look at our guide for first time visitors, making the most out of your stay on Daufuskie!