The culture of the Pacific region of Colombia stands out for being Afro-Colombian. It is a very widespread culture on the coast and expressed through its folklore and history.
The dances, the music, the gastronomy and even the way of dressing of the Chocoano, the Cauca Valley, the Nariñense and the Cauca, are strongly marked by this Afro-Colombianity.
The culture of the inhabitants of the Pacific coast can be described as happy, colorful and often simple.
The main manifestation of culture is found in the cities of Tumaco, Buenaventura and Quibdó, where the black, indigenous and Spanish influences that settled in the area have developed.
These influences promoted the formation of the typical customs of the inhabitants of the region.
Background
The Colombian Pacific region was inhabited by two indigenous tribes: the Kuna and the Uaunana.
Its culture was characterized by the manufacture of goldsmith objects. They were displaced with the arrival of the colonizers to the regions of the Pacific coast.
The most outstanding contribution of these tribes to the culture of the region was gastronomy, since they showed the use of different fish and shellfish to the new African communities settled in the area.
History
The Afro-Colombian culture of the Pacific coast was born from the settlement of black slave communities in areas of the Chocó region, a product of colonization.
In this area numerous insurrections were carried out by these enslaved African communities.
These uprisings generated dozens of free or maroon black settlements, which laid the foundations for the Afro-Colombian community that is known today.
His influences are marked in clothing, music, dance and crafts.
Upon gaining their freedom, most of the Afro-Colombian community settled permanently on the Pacific coast.
This community took advantage of the resources they obtained from the region to develop activities such as fishing and planting.
So, the culture of the Pacific coast comes from direct influences from the African roots that inhabited the area.
Main features
The typical music of the region is characterized by its hasty rhythms, marked by the rhythm of percussion.
This music is accompanied by spontaneous dances and elaborate dances of the Chocoana region, such as the currulao or the abozao.
Myths and legends tell about monsters and ghosts. In handicrafts, the chonta marimba stands out as a typical and distinguished instrument of the region, as well as hats and objects made with materials extracted from the coconut palm.
The celebrations are made up of colorful festivals full of joy, music and dance, alluding to events, beliefs and customs of the Afro-Colombian community in the Pacific region.
As for the gastronomy of the region, there is a significant presence of seafood: seafood and fish. Green plantains and potatoes are also widely used.
References
- Pacific Region (Colombia). Rescued on October 28, 2017, from Wikipedia: wikipedia.org
- Rescued on October 28, 2017, from UMAIC Wiki: wiki.umaic.org
- Regionalization of indigenous Chocó, ethnographic and linguistic data and current settlements. Mauricio Pardo Rojas. 1963.
- Music and Folklore of Colombia. Javier Ocampo López. Plaza y Janes Editores Colombia sa, 1984. Bogotá, Colombia. P. 141.
- The Delights and Delicacies of the Colombian Pacific Coast for the World. Retrieved on October 28, 2017, from Colombia: colombia.co