Emancipation Statue (Bussa) Roundabout

The Emancipation Statue, often called the Bussa Statue, is a powerful monument in Bridgetown, Barbados, symbolizing the end of slavery. Erected in 1985, it commemorates the 150th anniversary of emancipation and honors Bussa, who led a significant slave rebellion in 1816. The statue is not specifically sculpted to be Bussa, but represents the collective spirit of freedom and resistance.The bronze sculpture, created by Barbadian-Guyanese artist Karl Broodhagen, depicts a muscular figure breaking free from chains, reaching towards the sky. This imagery embodies emancipation and the determination of enslaved people to overcome oppression. The statue is located at the J.T.C. Ramsay Roundabout, where the ABC Highway meets Highway 5, making it visible to many.Inscribed on both sides, one side of the statue features the chant, "Lick an Lock-up Done Wid, Hurray fuh Jin-Jin [Queen Victoria]," which Barbadians hailed when slavery was abolished. The other side contains text from the Abolition Act of 1833. Every year on August 1st, Barbados celebrates Emancipation Day with a march to the statue, honoring the end of slavery and Bussa's contribution. Bussa was officially declared a National Hero in 1998.