Today's adventure stems from the ever-present complaint (usually tourists) who view what Manchester has to offer and whines plaintively that this parish is composed mainly of museums...
And it is.
And I am....whining...that is...
When a local looks at me and says
"Dere is a Duppy church near...gwanna see?"
What?
"Di Duppy Church ober fiv' mie. Duppy mostly nite dem ."
"Big slav grvyrd, too."
Not completely sure what I've just signed on for...but it sounds more interesting than the Roxborough Museum which touts his and her pit toilets (think out-house) as a drawing feature.
And we're off...
My guide's name is Aisai (roughly meaning: My father is a gift.) and as we drive he tells me the tale of The Duppy Church.
When slave owners from The Lyndhurst Estates owned this land they permitted the slaves their own church/graveyard in 5 Mile Gully.
The slave, James Knight, eventually became their pastor.
Most of the religion at the time was a mash-up of traditional folklore...Christianity...and Haitian/Creole Voudou.
Unforgivably...Knight began to speak of freedom...not for the body...but for the spirit and soul.
The slave-owners decided this must stop...and an example must be made.
Pastor Knight was beheaded...and his head placed on a pole outside the church.
The remaining slaves were forbidden to continue services there.
The church crumbled and the graveyard surrounding it fell into disuse and disrepair.
Weeds took over.
Much later, there would be reports of apparitions...strange happenings...organ music...people whispering or praying loudly...dogs who refused to go near the property...trespassers disappearing.
Even today some locals refuse to go onto the grounds or into what is left of the church.
The Duppy are active at night...and it is completely avoided then.
Warnings of
"Mind di duppy dem run out pon yu!"
And when his stories end, we arrive.
And I get my first sight of The Church.
and scattered graveyard.
Aisai explained the graves were slaves who had died, and were buried there, when the church had been active.
An inexplicable coldness brought goosebumps to my arms and I could feel the hairs raise on the back of my neck. Outside, it was 94 degrees.
Still, we stepped out of the car.
He insisted we must be out before dark.
Duppy Church and Graveyard
https://youtu.be/Wz37yIKaho0?si=UBVixRPPXvW6Ga7H
As Aisai said...the daytime was fairly uneventful...although I did not see a dog, cat, bird, or any living thing on the grounds...not even a butterfly...which I found odd.
By the time we left I realized I HAD to come back at night and see for myself.
Aisai refused...but says he will try to find someone who will bring me back.
Until then....
