Standing aloft in our great Square

You command our attention as you stand and stare

Though you are but metal and hammer and fire

The true you, a revolution, did sire

 

For the Dutch, you worked and sweated

and worked and despaired

But your future would never be to live

under the spear

 

You killed your overseer

And turned the Big House into cinder

You gathered your comrede

And to the Corentyne, you led

Together with your Akan brother Accara

And your commanders Atta and Acabbre,

Goussari and Cosayel

You would lead the 2,500 strong, to rebel

 

You gave them all unity and focus

From the youngsters, ripe with promise

To the well-seasoned elders

whose backs were beaten by malice

You had all been plucked

from your rich and bountiful lands

Manacled and shackled and

packed and stacked

in the bowels of boats like rats

 

Even our industrious first peoples were

usurped into servitude

Carib and Akawaio and Arawak too

Many would succumb to a Trans-Atlantic

plague called Small Pox

And only death to them, would ensue

 

When our Amerindian brothers didn’t suffice

You, and your brethren, would take their place

And the cat o’nine tail helped you,

keep up the pace

 

During your rebellion

You struck fear into Dutch hearts

An independent African state you wanted

As you tried to force them, to depart

 

This, alas, was not meant to be

Aided by their French and English brothers

The Dutch sailed down the mighty Berbice River

seeking to seize back their power

 

In time, the once promising revolt

Perished, due to those who would bolt

Weaklings…quislings… informers

weak hearts… traitors and turncoats

 

Striped of your leadership

you took your own life

Perhaps you were greatly burdened

by the pressures, the conflict and strife

 

You dared to dream bigger

And for ten months, you were all free

Free as the mountains

and free as the sea…

 

The forefathers of Emancipation

Cuffy and Accara, Accabre and Atta,

Cosayel Gousari

Sowed the seeds, of the liberation

That would grow, into the abolition

Put an end, to the subjugation

And inspired us to be One People, One Nation

 

Know your story

Know your History

Unshackle your minds

And never forget Cuffy

 

Continue to stand aloft

And inspire defiance and resistance

Let your spirit continue to guard us

No matter what, may befall us…