A Story

The theme of A Story brought a wide range of subjects.  Some were powerful in themselves, all had backstories that gave them even more force.  As well as lots of entries, there was plenty of voting and for the first time we had a tie for #1.  So I have chosen the one I didn’t vote for myself as the first in this group:

Pilgrims' Rest, Mpumulanga © Gabi Elliott 2010

Note the grave on the right, about halfway up the terraces.  Gabi says: “it is the only gravestone which has been placed facing in the wrong direction in this cemetery. It has a cross of bones painted on it and the name etched is ‘Robber’s Grave’.  The story is that the man buried there was a robber and was not afforded the privilege of being buried facing the sun as it rises over the mountains and the cemetery.  He was damned for his sins by being placed in the wrong direction.  Nobody seems certain whether it is fact or just a story..it is, however, the only grave that is facing in the wrong direction!”

This evoked quite a lot of discussion and Gabi responded:  “…it is severe and it was the times! This apparently happened in the 1800’s…and it was a rough time…miners/immigrants/locals all vying for that elusive piece of gold to strike it rich. This cemetery is on the mountain above this small mining town… one of the first in this area many many moons ago. It is called Pilgrims Rest in Mpumulanga. The old part/original part of the town is now used as a tourist attraction but people still live there in the “newer” part.”

October 31, 2010 | Categories: graveyard, landscape, summer | Tags: cemetery, graveyard, historic, photography | Leave a comment