Like any capital city, Conakry has its monuments and statues. But in a country that has only had 3 presidents and little in the way of military action, the statues generally do not commemorate heroism in battle nor politics. Instead, they represent an interesting array of themes and national obsessions. Soccer is well represented, as is music; one roundabout has a large statue in the middle of a cora player, a cora being a stringed instrument that is widely used in Guinean music. Below are an array of photos of some of Conakry's notable statues.
The "Liberte" statue, located in the middle of a busy avenue near downtown, looks like it should be called "Rocky Balboa meets Karl Marx." The statue portrays a worker breaking the shackles that chain his wrists. It pays homage to Guinea's socialist past, which led it to be the first African nation to break colonial ties with France in 1958.
In the center of a roundabout in the eastern part of the city is a monument to soccer, the national obsession. The statue shows a typical soccer player about to boot a ball.
In another roundabout near the soccer player is a statue of a large elephant, that I initially thought showed one of Guinea's wildlife species. On closer inspection, I noticed the elephant had a soccer ball at its foot, and learned that this is "Syli National," the symbol of the Guinean national soccer team. (In downtown Conakry, there is another beautiful statue that honors Guinean wildlife, showing two Gazelles on a large platform in the middle of one of the main avenues).
In a small roundabout near downtown along the south coast is a statue of Samori Toure, Guinea's national hero who fought French colonialism in the late 19th century.
In the center of an autopiste near Conakry's airport is this tribute to Guinea's women. In a sense it is a national symbol, as Guinea means "woman."
The "Liberte" statue, located in the middle of a busy avenue near downtown, looks like it should be called "Rocky Balboa meets Karl Marx." The statue portrays a worker breaking the shackles that chain his wrists. It pays homage to Guinea's socialist past, which led it to be the first African nation to break colonial ties with France in 1958. 
In the center of a roundabout in the eastern part of the city is a monument to soccer, the national obsession. The statue shows a typical soccer player about to boot a ball.
In another roundabout near the soccer player is a statue of a large elephant, that I initially thought showed one of Guinea's wildlife species. On closer inspection, I noticed the elephant had a soccer ball at its foot, and learned that this is "Syli National," the symbol of the Guinean national soccer team. (In downtown Conakry, there is another beautiful statue that honors Guinean wildlife, showing two Gazelles on a large platform in the middle of one of the main avenues).
In a small roundabout near downtown along the south coast is a statue of Samori Toure, Guinea's national hero who fought French colonialism in the late 19th century.
In the center of an autopiste near Conakry's airport is this tribute to Guinea's women. In a sense it is a national symbol, as Guinea means "woman."
MONUMENTS are NOT STATUES!!!!! They are DIFFERENT!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAlthough, Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the world, these monument, statues or whatever you call them shows that Guineans appreciate the countries Comparative advantage
ReplyDeleteAlthough, Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the world, these monument, statues or whatever you call them shows that Guineans appreciate the countries Comparative advantage
ReplyDeletewhat did Sumori Toure do to make him an important hero?!?!?!
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