The Man with the Fish – Georgetown’s Unofficial Landmark

If you ever find yourself in Georgetown — the capital of Guyana, a country tucked away in South America — chances are, you’ll come across a statue of a man holding what appears to be a fish.

Since it’s unlikely you’ll be heading to Georgetown anytime soon, let me introduce you to this curious monument.

Ask the locals where to find the 1763 Rebellion Monument, and they might give you a puzzled look. But ask them where the man with the fish stands, and they’ll point you in the right direction without hesitation.

The official story is this: in the year 1763, an African slave named Cuffy (also spelled Kofi or Kaffi) led a rebellion against the Dutch colonizers, who ruled the area and owned the enslaved population. At first, the uprising gained momentum, and Cuffy was even declared governor. But internal conflict among the rebels — and the arrival of Dutch reinforcements by ship — quickly turned the tide.

Eventually, Cuffy took his own life. Slavery continued in Guyana for another 70 years. Two centuries later, Cuffy was recognized as a national hero, and this monument was erected in his honor.

Some sources claim that the creatures in Cuffy’s hands are a pig (symbolizing ignorance) and a dog (symbolizing greed). But to the people of Georgetown, he’s simply known as the man with the fish.