This Woman From Ghana Led the Biggest Slave Revolt in the West Indies

This Woman From Ghana Led the Biggest Slave Revolt in the West Indies
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In 1718, the Danish had total control of the West Indies. That they had utterly colonized this small Caribbean Island and has even fully established their government there. After 15 years under their control; however, Breffu, a brave Ghanaian female slave, organized a rebellion with another slave named Christian. They planned to steer other enslaved Ghanaians from the dominion of Akwamu to attack the Danish army. On November 23, 1733, they successfully did just that.

Their plan had two phases. During the first period, they took back control of the Fort Fredericksvaern. To form it work, the slaves managed to cover knives within the woods while going about their daily chores. With these knives, they later entered the fort successfully and killed a significant number of the soldiers. Then they fired a cannon within the fort to signal their takeover to the others who were waiting.

The second phase of their attack was when Breffu and therefore the other slaves, who were expecting the signal within the plantations, heard the cannon and visited kill their master. Afterward, the slaves stormed the weapons houses and seized all the guns and gun powder.

Naturally, the Danish slave masters became afraid and commenced escaping from the island on their boats, and therefore the slaves took charge and complete control of most of the island.

Sadly though, their success didn’t last very long. In 1734, the French military invaded the island, and Breffu and 23 other leaders of the Akwamu rebels performed a suicide ritual reportedly because they were outnumbered and knew they might not put a few resistance.

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