AFRO-COLOMBIAN CULTURE: HISTORY, CHARACTERISTICS AND CUSTOMS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The Afro - Colombian culture is the set of customs and traditions of the Colombian people with African descent; These make up 10.6% of the total population of the country. They constitute an important part of the demographics of Colombia, as their contributions and influences have been crucial for the culture.

The arrival of the large African population in Colombia began in the early 16th century, when British sailors traded slaves with the Spanish Crown in what was then New Granada. This practice continued for almost 300 years, making Colombia the epicenter of the slave trade in South America.

After the abolition of slavery in 1851, the Afro-Colombian population was integrated into the country's society with difficulties. In many cases they remained in the coastal areas where they landed or on the surrounding islands.

Despite the initial prohibition to manifest their customs on Colombian soil, the traditions of the Afro-descendants survived over time, some were modified after adapting to the culture of Colombia and others were integrated into the cultural heritage of the country.

History

Around the year 1520, slaves from the coasts of central Africa began to arrive in Colombia. In these areas human trafficking by European sailors had been carried out for generations.

Some of the countries that made up the trade were Angola, Ghana, Congo, Ivory Coast, Mali, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.

Upon reaching South America they were employed as labor for heavy work, agriculture, mining, and cargo. This was so because the indigenous population declined significantly as a result of war, famine and precarious living conditions.

The process of abolishing slavery took several years because the slaveholders and merchants were not willing to give up what was then private property. Several changes in the laws of the country unsuccessfully sought manumission, but this was finally achieved in May 1851.

Afro-Colombian communities

Afro-descendant population in Colombia. Author: OCHA Colombia - DANE Census 2005.

Afro-Colombian communities settled in the areas near their first landings. Because the north coast of Colombia is divided by Panama, Afro-descendant groups are found on the coasts of the Pacific Ocean and on the shores of the Caribbean Sea.

Among the areas of Colombia with the highest density of Afro-descendants are the departments of Chocó (82%), Bolívar (27%), Cauca (22%) and Atlántico (20%). The municipalities with the highest black density are Santander de Quilichao (97.7%), María la Baja (97.1%) La Tola (96%) and Villa Rica (95%).

Also to the west of the Caribbean Sea is the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina. This is one of the 32 departments of Colombia and its Afro-descendant population amounts to 56.98% of the total. These African American West Indian communities are known as Raizales.

Palenque de San Basilio

Due to their status as slaves, the African peoples in America were not allowed to demonstrate their customs or participate in the local ones.

During this stage, some slaves led by Benkos Biohó managed to escape in Colombia and formed their own community: Palenque de San Basilio.

Palenque is baptized by its inhabitants as "the first free town of America", as it was founded at the end of the 16th century, when most of the continent was still colonized.

They have managed to preserve their customs and language; It is a site today named Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Cultural characteristics

ID

The term Afro-Colombian is a general category that refers to people with varying proportions of Afro-descendants who live in various regions of Colombia. In other words, within Afro-Colombians there are different subcultures, they do not have a unified culture.

For example, the native inhabitants of the islands of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, belong historically and culturally to an Antillean cultural complex formed under British colonial influence, but they have been subject to an increasingly intense Colombianization since the beginning of the 20th century..

Social position

Informal status and authority are achieved through seniority and personal traits. For example, character, experience, success in providing goods, leadership ability. Some decisions and conflict management are handled at this level.

Family network

Afro-Colombians tend to have a flexible kinship network in which individuals and families have ties within a loosely defined lineage, often simply referred to as family. The classifications of "cousin" or "aunt" can group many relatives.

Religion

Afro-Colombians are Catholics. In the past and even into the 1990s, clergy tended to disapprove of practices in black regions, but with the emergence of a stronger black identity, some priests were willing to include "traditional" elements in church ceremonies..

In the Pacific region, the presence of the church was quite weak, and many religious rites were practiced outside the direct control of the clergy.

Less research has been done in the Caribbean region, but there are strong similarities to the Pacific coast, though perhaps more attention is paid to spirits than to saints.

In the Cauca region there are elements that are common in other black and non-black regions: the use of magic and witchcraft to attack enemies, bring good luck, influence sexual partners, and defend against the intentions of others.

Language

Due to their communication needs, Afro-descendants formed Creole languages. A Creole language is one that mixes different dialects; These are characteristics especially among the African slaves in America who had to adapt to the language of the colonizers.

Upon reaching their destinations, the slaves were separated so that two people from the same tribe, family or region would not stay together. Thanks to this, Afro-descendants adapted their different languages, in addition to the Spanish, Portuguese, French or English that their merchants spoke, thus forming a Creole language.

In Colombia the creole language based on Spanish is Palenquero Creole, spoken predominantly in Palenque de San Basilio.

This language has 3,500 speakers. In the Colombian archipelago, San Andresan Creole is also spoken, a language derived from English spoken by the Raizales.

Customs and traditions

Music and dance

The characteristic sound of Afro-Colombian rhythms are percussions. The drums set the rhythm for the fishing workers, who sang and danced as they performed their tasks. From this tradition arises the mepalé, a popular Caribbean rhythm created by slaves on their nights of revelry.

Among the Pacific regions, in the departments of Chocó, Cauca and Nariño, the currulao is popular, a rhythm marked by the use of various drums: tambora, male and female cununos, bass drum, marimba and clarinet.

On the other hand, the champeta arises from the Afro-Colombian populations in Cartagena de Indias during the 20th century. The term "champeta" comes from the name given to the machete or knife; The upper classes gave it to her in a derogatory way, since both elements are associated with poverty and dark skin.

Celebrations

Among the various Afro-Colombian celebrations, perhaps the most popular is the Barranquilla Carnival. It has its origins in colonial times and starts from celebrating African culture.

Its characteristic elements are the masks and the dance to the rhythm of the congas. It is held four days before Ash Wednesday.

In Colombia, May 21 is celebrated as Afro-Colombian Day. It was named on the same date as the abolition of slavery and its celebration seeks to honor the innumerable cultural contributions that Afro-descendants have made to the country.

Gastronomy

Characteristic Afro-Colombian dishes share a marked similarity with those of central Africa. In addition, they are made up of ingredients that abound on the coasts of the Pacific and the Caribbean Sea. Afro-Colombian food consists predominantly of seafood, rice, beans, fruits, and vegetables.

Following the tradition of the old continent, the dishes usually mix proteins with sweet and spicy flavors, all in one pot. For example, aphrodisiac rice consists of rice, coconut, squid, shrimp, and lobster.

In the same way, tropical fruits are usually consumed in large quantities. Coconut and banana are an important part of Colombian gastronomy and chontaduro, an endemic fruit of Colombia and Panama, is also consumed in juices.

References

1. Active Cultural Afro (sf) Typical Afro-Colombian dishes. Afros Cultural Assets Foundation. Recovered from Programaacua.org
2. Colombia (2016) The Lasting Influence of Colombia's African Heritage. Country Brand Colombia. Recovered from colombia.co
3. Let's talk about Cultures (sf) Afro-Colombian Culture: characteristics, gastronomy, art and more. Colombian culture. Recovered from hablemosdeculturas.com
4. Mufwene, S. (sf) Creole Languages. Linguistics. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Recovered from Britannica.com
5. Spanish in Colombia (sf) Afro-Colombian Culture. Spanish in Colombia. Recovered from spanishincolombia.gov.co
6. Welsh, A. (2016) Champeta is the indestructible sound-system culture of Afro-Colombia. Fact Magazine. Recovered from factmag.com