Neg Mawon Emancipation Monument (Roseau, Dominica)
Dublin Core
Title
Neg Mawon Emancipation Monument (Roseau, Dominica)
Subject
Subject (Topic)
Dominica--Roseau
Enslaved persons--Emancipation--Dominica
Freedoom
Maroons--Dominica
Public art
Public sculpture
Slavery--Dominica
Slavery--England
Transatlantic slave trade
Dominica--Roseau
Enslaved persons--Emancipation--Dominica
Freedoom
Maroons--Dominica
Public art
Public sculpture
Slavery--Dominica
Slavery--England
Transatlantic slave trade
Subject (Object Type)
Commemorative sculpture
Commemorative sculpture
Description
Standing resolutely forward, the muscular figure of a shirtless self-emancipated man ('neg mawon'), with broken shackles and chains around his wrists and neck, holds a conch shell to his lips. The bronze figure, located in the center of a traffic circle, celebrates the self-emancipated (maroon) societies that engaged in a sustained struggle against slavery and French colonialism. The work was unveiled during Dominica’s 2013 Emancipation Celebrations.
Creator
Zamora, Franklyn
Source
Photograph: Ariane Colenbrander, Flickr
Date
August 1, 2013
Contributor
Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica; Ministry of Culture; National Cultural Council.
Rights
Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Government Headquarters, Kennedy Avenue, Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica.
Format
JPEG
Language
English
Type
Visual Arts-Sculpture
Coverage
Turkey Lane and Victoria Street, Roseau, Dominica
Has Part
Plaque next to monument:
This monument is a symbol of freedom and emancipation. It is a tribute to all the enslaved Africans who suffered and were executed in the history of Dominica. It honours the Maroons who risked their lives to fight for the emancipation of all. It pays homage to those who were sold and executed at the Old Roseau Market and who were held at the Barracoon Building in Roseau before being sold and sent to the plantations. This monument salutes the memory of our African ancestors and the immense contribution of their skills to our early infrastructure and the development of agriculture in Dominica through the shedding of their blood, sweat and tears. It celebrates the powerful and lasting influence which our which our African ancestors had on Dominica's present day culture, especially in our forms of music, language, costumes and cuisine. This memorial is a reminder to all Dominicans that we should continue to sustain our African heritage and its many cultural expressions.
This monument is a symbol of freedom and emancipation. It is a tribute to all the enslaved Africans who suffered and were executed in the history of Dominica. It honours the Maroons who risked their lives to fight for the emancipation of all. It pays homage to those who were sold and executed at the Old Roseau Market and who were held at the Barracoon Building in Roseau before being sold and sent to the plantations. This monument salutes the memory of our African ancestors and the immense contribution of their skills to our early infrastructure and the development of agriculture in Dominica through the shedding of their blood, sweat and tears. It celebrates the powerful and lasting influence which our which our African ancestors had on Dominica's present day culture, especially in our forms of music, language, costumes and cuisine. This memorial is a reminder to all Dominicans that we should continue to sustain our African heritage and its many cultural expressions.
Extent
84 in. (213.36 cm)
Medium
Bronze
Bibliographic Citation
Dominica News Online. "Emancipation Statue Unveiled." August 2, 2013. Accessed February 15, 2025. https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/culture/emancipation-statue-unveiled/.
Government Information Service. "Emancipation Monument Officially Unveiled." Government of the Commonwealth Dominica. August 6, 2013. Accessed February 15, 2025. https://news.gov.dm/news/news-items/emancipation-monument-officially-unveiled.
Rights Holder
Renée Ater
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
Sculpture
Physical Dimensions
84 in. (213.36 cm)
Collection
Citation
Zamora, Franklyn, “Neg Mawon Emancipation Monument (Roseau, Dominica),” Contemporary Monuments to the Slave Past, accessed October 1, 2026, https://slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1167.