BICYCLE STATUS

Spurred on by the Akiyo cultural movement, this bronze work by Guadeloupean sculptor Jacky Poulier was created and inaugurated at a solemn ceremony in Pointe-à-Pitre on June 5, 2004. The statue, inspired by Marcel Lollia, known as "Vélo", who died 40 years ago (1932-1984), embodies the famous traditional drummer who, in the late 1970s, helped revive the gwo ka (traditional drum) in Guadeloupe. The gwo ka originated in slavery. It enabled slaves to communicate with each other.

"Vélo" is depicted here about to strike the ka with both hands. The first monument to the ka, erected in 2004 in one of Pointe-à-Pitre's busiest neighborhoods, was vandalized in 2013 (the statue's fingers were cut off and the commemorative plaques defaced). A new resin statue was inaugurated in December 2014, at an official ceremony attended by a large crowd, the mayor of Pointe-à-Pitre, Jacques Bangou, and the various groups that embody the music. The ceremony included a parade by the groups Nasyon a Neg Mawon, Mas ka klé and Akiyo (of which "Vélo" was a member for some time).

Every Saturday morning, the Rasta community and gwo ka players gather symbolically around his statue. They'll introduce you to the sounds of these drums, with their marked African influence (although the percussion used in the Caribbean is different).