As a child I remember my father and great aunt reminiscing about family history. My father and I will visit family in St.Patrick’s on one Sunday every month. The elders would talk and laugh about years long gone. They talked about traits that some family members had or did not have. Most of the memories were about older more revered family members. I would see like a cloud of darkness settle over their faces when the story centered on Massie.
Massie was the direct link from the mother country. The story goes that Massie was a slave from Algiers brought to the island of Grenada. Massie had a daughter called Mannie, and from Mannie to Tantan and down the family line.
During a time of cholera, Massie fell into a coma, her master thought she was dead and had her buried. It was said that later there was sounds of knocking or scrapping coming from the coffin. I asked what had happened after the knocking was heard. I don’t recall getting an answer.
These stories told by my father was never recorded. I should have documented these for posterity, because they remain with me, but will be gone as sadly as it is, so is my dad.
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