Bermuda is nothing if it's not a complicated place. Rich in culture and rich in luxury, it's been a major destination for world travelers for generations. Some are called to enjoy the beaches, and some are called to enjoy the luxury hotels Bermuda offers, and there also those who are compelled by its history.
There's a statue in Saint George to a certain Sally Bassett. She's a source of great inspiration for many locals, and for people all around the world. The statue also serves as a grim reminder of the history of slavery in Bermuda. It's something that's often overlooked, but it's part of its colonial past, and when memory fails history steps in to take over the narrative. There are many versions of the story, and they differ only slightly, generally speaking. She was an older woman, and she knew some of the traditional ways with plants, and some say she used this knowledge for poisoning, and teaching others to poison their masters.
The origin of the notion of a witch comes from those who work with herbs, or in some definitions, poisoners, and she was eventually charged with this. The sentence was burning at the stake, and this was in 1760, and took place on a hot day in June. This was a very startling spectacle, but marked more for her strangely collected demeanor, along with some utterances. Among these, she vowed that there would be proof of her innocence. In the ashes, there was a purple flower growing, now called the Bermudiana, which had never grown on the island before, but since then is found everywhere. |
