SOLITUDE THE FREEDOM FIGHTER “live free or die” These were the words when she was executed for her involvement in the 1802 rebellion of enslaved Africans in Guadeloupe.

Born into enslavement in the plantations of Guadeloupe in 1772 Solitude ‘s father was a French sailor and her mother was an African woman who was raped during a voyage on the ‘slave’ ship. A beautiful woman admired by many Solitude was enslaved after her mother fled the plantation.

Solitude was freed in the first abolition of 1794 but after Napoleon’s decree she became a maroon and joined a group of freedom fighters that were led by men such as Louis Delgres. They formed a small army and fought against the French troops.

Solitude, a few months pregnant, joined the fight against Richepance’ s troops. She was said to be a fierce and fearless warrior who pushed herself and her belly into the heart of the battles.

After eighteen days of combat Solitude was injured in an explosion, captured and was sentenced to death. But since the child in her womb was to become property of her ‘slave’ owner, she was temporarily pardoned and her execution was rescheduled to the day after giving birth. She gave birth on 28 November 1802, and on the morning of the following day, the greatest heroine of the revolution, who was now 30 years, stepped out of jail peacefully while maternity’s milk slowly stained her night shirt. She was executed with no one knowing the whereabouts of her child.

Solitude has since been described as the symbol of Caribbean women who fought to protect ideas of equality and freedom. A statue honouring Solitude was erected in 1999 in the community called Abymes (Guadeloupe)

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