10 CUSTOMS OF THE CARIBBEAN REGION IN COLOMBIA - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Among the customs of the Caribbean region in Colombia are the cumbia dance, the interpretation of vallenato, eating bananas and fried fish (Colombia, 2017). The Colombian Caribbean region is located in the north of the country, where it borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Venezuela. It is made up of eight departments: Atlántico, Bolívar, La Guajira, Cesar, Sucre, Córdoba, Magdalena, and the islands of San Andrés and Providencia.

People in this region tend to be spontaneous, cheerful, and to love dance and music. This means that many of their customs revolve around the celebration of festivities and carnivals such as the Barranquilla carnival (UncoverColombia, 2017).

The customs of the Colombian Caribbean region are permeated by the Spanish tradition mixed with the roots of the African cultures brought to Colombia during the time of the conquest. The food, the dancing, the rhythms and the celebrations are always evocative of this cultural mix.

10 Customs of the Caribbean region in Colombia

1- The vueltiao hat

One of the most deeply rooted customs of the Caribbean region of Colombia is to wear a “vueltiao” hat. This element has been adopted by the country as a symbol of national identity and has its origin in the tribes settled around the Sinú River.

Made from a reed fiber known as "arrow reed", this hat is called vueltiao because of the way it is manufactured: turning concentrically when braiding the arrow reed.

Most men in the Colombian Caribbean have the custom of protecting themselves from the sun with a flexible and resistant vueltiao hat (blockenglishfouruniagraria, 2013).

2- Dance cumbia

The cumbia is the most representative rhythm of the Colombian Caribbean. It was born from the mixture of Spanish music with the sounds of the native Africans of Colombia.

The dance style that is customary to dance in the Caribbean is characterized by the movement in short steps of women. These short steps derive from the freedom of movement that the slaves had in their feet as they were chained around the ankles.

On the Atlantic coast of Colombia, the cumbia is part of its most deeply rooted customs. The production of its sounds involves percussion instruments, bagpipes, saxophones, keyboards and multiple wind instruments. It is a traditional dance with strong roots (Levinson, 1996).

3- Vallenatos

While cumbia is a rhythm, vallenato is a typical genre of the Caribbean region of Colombia, born in the municipality of Valledupar.

The inhabitants of the Atlantic coast, mainly, have the custom of listening to and dancing Vallenato during their “parrandas” or vallenatas parties.

The most important and recognized event of Vallenata music takes place every year in the municipality of Valledupar, known as the Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata. During this festival, each year, King Vallenato is chosen.

4- Myths and legends of the Caribbean

The Caribbean region is rich in traditions, myths and legends, including the myth of the weeping woman and the legend of the Cayman Man.

Within the Region, it is customary to recreate these myths and legends during carnivals and festivities.

Similarly, oral tradition is part of the most important customs in the Caribbean, so these myths and legends are shared and preserved between generations (Williams, 1999).

5- Carnival of Barranquilla

The Barranquilla Carnival is the most important folkloric festival in the Colombian Caribbean and the second largest carnival in the world, after the Rio de Janeiro Carnival.

The custom of celebrating this carnival was born in the Caribbean during the 19th century. The carnival, traditionally, is celebrated every year, forty days before Easter.

During the Barranquilla Carnival, the city of Barranquilla, in the department of Atlántico, modifies its dynamics to fill the streets with parades, dances and music (Friedemann, 1985).

6- Other celebrations

Apart from the Barranquilla Carnival, in the Caribbean region of Colombia it is customary to carry out various celebrations throughout the year. For example, the National Beauty Contest is held every year in Cartagena to crown Miss Colombia.

The sea festivals are also held in Santa Marta, where the more adventurous can enjoy water sports.

In the municipality of Sincelejo, the customs are of a bullfighting court and every year the corralejas are celebrated, during which there is a tradition of fighting bulls.

7- Typical food

Food in the Caribbean region is usually accompanied by coconut rice, patacones (fried green banana cakes), fried yucca, lemon and salt.

The most characteristic dishes of this region are the sancocho or fish soup, the mote de queso con hogao (chopped yucca with tomato, onion and cheese) and the clean bun (white corn cooked, ground and kneaded into small buns). In general, Caribbean food is rich in seafood, banana, corn, and cassava (Dier, 2016).

8- Fresh and colorful clothing

The clothing that is usually used in the Colombian Caribbean region is fresh and light. The inhabitants of this area have the custom of wearing colorful and loose clothing, especially during parties and celebrations.

A characteristic costume of that region is the “pollera colorá”, which has a famous cumbia dedicated to it. It is a long, wide and colorful skirt, typically worn with a shirt that leaves the shoulders exposed.

This clothing is mainly used for public events and artistic activities. The men wear clothes to match the women's clothing.

9- Play dominoes

The game of dominoes in the Colombian Caribbean has been a typical activity for men. The rules of the game are basic and the tiles with the same number of points at each end must be connected, the player who first puts all their tiles on the table wins.

In the Caribbean, it is customary to play dominoes with one or more partners at a simple table, betting small amounts of money.

In this way, you can find domino tables arranged in various areas of the region, on pedestrian corridors and parks, even in shops and barber shops.

10- Football

As in the rest of Colombia, in the Colombian Caribbean soccer is the most important sport. Children in the Caribbean have a habit of playing it in the streets and in dusty vacant lots.

The Colombian Caribbean is home to some of the most important soccer players in the country such as Carlos “El Pibe” Valderrama, Radamel Falcao and Carlos Bacca.

References

1. (2013). Culture of Colombia. Obtained from Caribbean Region, Colombia: blockenglishfouruniagraria.blogspot.com.
2. Colombia, T. (2017). Discover Colombia. Obtained from THE CARIBBEAN IS HAPPINESS ITSELF: colombia.travel.
3. Dier, A. (2016). Moon Cartagena & Colombia's Caribbean Coast. Berkeley: Avalon Publishing.
4. Friedemann, NS (1985). In NS Friedemann, Carnival in Barranquilla (pp. 117 - 119). Texas: Editorial La Rosa.
5. Levinson, D. (1996). Encyclopedia of World Cultures: South America. Michigan: GK Hall.
6. (2017). Uncover Colombia. Obtained from The Caribbean Region: uncovercolombia.com.
7. Williams, RL (1999). The Performing Arts. In RL Williams, Culture and Customs of Colombia (p. 77). Michigan: Greenwood Press.