Interested in learning about Long Celia
I’m an expat who has lived in Cayman for a few years. I’ve been hearing on and off about Long Celia and was wondering if you could tell me who she was and why she is famous?
Auntie’s answer: It always pleases me to see people interested in history, especially visitors and new residents here. I will try to give you a brief description of Long Celia without sounding too much like we are in a classroom.
She was a slave who was put on trial for fomenting revolution in 1820. She had heard that slaves were soon to be freed and spoke of this, claiming that white slave owners knew about the upcoming decree but would not talk about it in front of their slaves.
Long Celia belittled that strategy, since once the decree came she said, just “let two Negroes go to their houses with (machetes)” and the white masters would run.
She was found guilty after trial of “uttering seditious words” and her punishment was 50 lashes.
My source for this information is Founded Upon the Seas, a book on the history of the Cayman Islands by Michael Craton that I heartily recommend. If you are truly interested in learning about the roots of Cayman and what makes this place special, get this book.
Category: Ask Auntie
Long Celia was an “enslaved African” and white so-called “masters” were “enslavers”.