The Rubber Tree -- Warwick Parish BM - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

A modern sign for the African Diaspora Heritage Trail in Bermuda marks the spot where an old rubber tree, and a graveyard for both free and enslaved Black Bermudians stood, until it was bulldozed and paved over for a parking lot in thr 1970s.

Some number of years later, a simple concrete memorial was erected in the middle of the parking lot next to a Red Weeping Callistemon tree (a subtle but meaningful clue to the damage that desecration did to the affected community members). The small memorial plaque reads:

"OLD WARWICK GRAVEYARD

Sacred to the memory of our brothers and sisters in Christ who were laid to rest in this hallowed spot."

Eventually times changed. This disgraceful treatment of the black Bermudian graveyard and the real history of this place could be recognized without any euphemism or pretense.

The waymarked sign at this location, which is also under the Callistemon tree, and stands an arms-length from the simple concrete memorial referenced above, reads as follows:

"THE AFRICAN DIASPORA HERITAGE TRAIL BERMUDA

“THE RUBBER TREE”
A Historical Burial Site

In this sacred and hallowed spot, at one time lay the bodies of free and enslaved Bermudians. This monument has been erected in their memory. May they rest in peace."

Bermuda has a complicated and raw racial history, which is still played out in covert and overt ways today.

From the UNESCO African Diaspora Heritage Trail brochure, on page 15: (visit link)

"OLD WARWICK GRAVEYARD AND MEMORIAL

This graveyard for slaves and others located to on the eastern side of the Warwick Post Office and shaded by the immense rubber tree was paved over several years ago and the monument remains."

Group that erected the marker: UNESCO URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 70 Middle RdWarwick Parish Bermuda

Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.

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Date Logged Log   02/22/2015 Benchmark Blasterz visited it