Bunny Wailer & the White Witch of Rosehall

Bunny Wailer

Bunny Wailer is an original member of the The Wailers, which included Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.  Newsweek named him one of the important musicians in ‘world music’. After the Wailers broke up, Bunny lauched a solo career.  He won Grammy awards for best Reggae Album in 1990, 1994 and 1996.  One of his most popular songs internationally is Electric Boogie which was also done by Marcia Griffiths. One of my favourites from Wailer is Dance Rock. 

I’m cheating again, I wanted to get in Annie Palmer on the ‘P’ day, but forgot, so I’ll add her here as the White Witch of Rose Hall and also sneak in the Rose Hall Great House too as I think this is something of interest. 

Tour Guide by Annie's Grave

The White Witch (Annie) moved to Haiti when she was ten years old and developed an interest in Voodoo. Her parents died of yellow fever in Haiti and Annie continued to be raised by her nanny, who seemed to be something of a priestess. Annie moved to Jamaica when she was eighteen on the death of her nanny. She was reputed to be beautiful and petite. She married John Palmer, owner of the Rose Hall estate, which comprised of 7,000 acres of land and 2,000 slaves. 

Within a few months after her marriage, Annie grew bored with her husband and started bedding slaves. The day John caught Annie in a compromising position with a slave, he beat her with a whip. She poisoned his coffee and inherited the estate. Thus began her reign of terror. Capricious is a good word to describe this mistress who tortured slaves at will, killed them when she was tired of having sex with them, and married two other men. They too, died under mysterious circumstances. Annie benefitted from their wealth.

In her quest to win Robert Rutherford, an English Bookkeeper, Annie put a hex on her rival, killing her. The woman (a slave) was the relative of an obeah man. On her death, said obeah man and a crowd of slaves strangled Annie and buried her on the Rose Hall Estate. Her possessions were burned and a Voodoo ritual performed. However, it is said the ritual was not done correctly and her spirit still haunts the property.

Rose Hall Great House

Subsequent owners of the Rose Hall estate suffered dreadful fates, which led to the estate being left unoccupied for more than one hundred and thirty years. Blood chilling stories continue to circulate about a figure riding a horse and screams coming from the great house. It has been restored and is part of the Ritz Carlton experience. Tours, weddings and other events are held at the Rose Hall Great House. Years ago, I attended a function in the Great House. The thought of all that went on there gave me the heebie-jeebies (still does). The White Witch Golf course is also an impressive experience for those in the golfing crowd. 

You’re probably thinking this is great material for a novel. You’re right, Annie’s story has been done several times.

I give you some Jamaican terms:

Wanga gut: Kinda like nyami-nyami, someone who’s always hungry and eats a lot.

Warra-Warra: something that’s said in place of swear words as in ‘Mi tell him ’bout him warra-warra.

Winji: very thin (as in a person)

Wissy: same as wispy, but the word is used to describe something/someone who’s thin or frail


2011 Posting for 'W' in the Challenge.

Other participants in the Challenge.

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