October 24, 2014
Built by slaves in the eighteenth century, Flat Bridge is a source of dread for many who have to cross it. There are all kinds of strange stories about this bridge, many woven into our folklore. The most popular ones are:
1. Duppies of Flat Bridge
Many believe Flat Bridge is the gathering place for the ghosts (duppies) of the slaves who died during the construction of the bridge. Nearby residents believe it is these duppies who cause the accidents there and pull the vehicles into the river. They say when the water turns into the colour of a green lizard the duppies are going to pull somebody in.
2. Mermaids live in the water (River Mumma)
It is believed that mermaids, or “River Mummas” as they are called in Jamaica, live in a bottomless hole just below the bridge. Many believe that the mermaids are the reason each attempt to establish railing on the bridge has proven futile.
3. The pillars were built with dead bodies
During construction, each plantation around Bog Walk area was required to provide one slave in every fifty to work on the bridge. Many slaves lost their lives and some Jamaicans believe those bodies were used as foundation for the piers. Truth is, the two piers that support the bridge are constructed with piles and braces interlaced with masonry.
4. The Gold Table
Legend has it that there is a gold table in the water under Flat Bridge that surfaces on the hottest days at noon in the river. Clinton Black’s Tales of Old Jamaica recounts a story where 24 bulls and 6 screaming slaves drowned after they tried to retrieve the table under the instructions of their plantation owner.
What stories have you heard about Jamaica’s Flat Bridge?