THE 10 MOST COMMON URBAN TRIBES IN COLOMBIA - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The most common urban tribes in Colombia include metalheads, punks, rappers, skinheads, rudos, hipsters, among others. Some of these tribes are seen less frequently, while there are others whose popularity is increasing according to technological trends and fashions of the moment.

The term “urban tribe” was first coined by the French sociologist Michel Maffesoli in 1988, as a way of defining those small groups of young people who live in cities and share common interests. These interests are usually different from those of the rest of the individuals in society.

In Colombia, these urban groups are mainly made up of adolescents or young people who share common habits and tastes. They differ from other social groups thanks to their striking clothes that are consistent with some new fashions or trends in the country.

Some urban tribes in Colombia tend to disappear when they lose their followers, while there are others that remain intact for generations and remain valid over time.

Both in Colombia and in Europe and other parts of the world, urban tribes are born from the need of young people to express their ideologies.

Belonging to an urban tribe is a way to get away from what is considered common. Generally, the young people who belong to these tribes do not find normality attractive.

The most common urban tribes in Colombia

1 - Metalheads

The metalheads tribe in Colombia is made up mainly of middle and upper class youth. However, it is not a uniform subculture, rather it groups various styles, beliefs, trends and styles of music.

Even between different "gangs", groups or gangs, they can accuse each other of false metalheads for having different tastes, beliefs or customs. However, there is no one thing that defines exactly what a metalhead has to be. What defines him the most is his taste for metal music, characteristic clothes and some hairstyles.

For example, in the metalheads followers of black metal are more extreme, almost atheistic and anti-Christian. On the contrary, there are followers of white metal, in which its members may have religious beliefs, although it is not common.

Although some bands can be problematic, the character of the typical metalhead is usually light-hearted and likes to enjoy music, going to concerts and doing the traditional metalhead or headbanger move.

2 - Rappers

The rappers are an urban tribe known for listening to rap and hip-hop music. This tribe was born in New York in the 70s and with time it expands. Today we can find rappers all over the world.

Being a movement that was born in the poorest neighborhoods of big cities, its ideology focuses on spreading a social message, which criticizes the injustices of the system.

For this reason, many rappers are considered social chroniclers, since events of social importance are recorded through their music.

In Colombia, rappers can be identified by wearing baggy sweatshirts, oversized T-shirts (of North American sports teams) and flashy tennis shoes from well-known brands. Usually, they are responsible for the realization of street graffiti in cities.

This urban tribe has been one of the few that over time has remained in force in Colombia, gaining more and more followers.

3 - Punketos

As the name implies, the punks in Colombia are an urban tribe that share a common taste for punk music.

Its origin dates back to the 80s and its aesthetics can be seen clearly represented in Colombian cinema films such as Rodrigo D no future (1991) or Los Nadie (2016).

His style is characterized by being disheveled and even sloppy. They usually wear black clothes and sometimes ripped leather pants or jeans.

Ideologically they defend anarchism as an ideology that promotes individual development and the disappearance of the state.

4 - Rudos

The rude boys or rudos are a group of young people who share a common taste for ska and reggae music.

Its ideological principles include the rejection by capitalism and the oligarchy. They are also advocates of equality and the union of races. They are anti-bullfighting and defend the rights of animals.

In Colombia the rude are defined as the nonconformists, those who reject consumerism and institutions. For this reason, they are attributed multiple acts of vandalism and even violence against other social groups.

5 - Skinheads

The skinheads or bald men are an urban tribe made up of young people recognized mainly for having their heads shaved, wearing military-style clothing and for their taste for punk and oi music.

They are a group strongly linked to neo-Nazi movements, since they share a similar ideology of cleansing the species. In that sense, they are an urban tribe with ideas opposed to punks.

They can be homophobic, racist, and fascist. However, there are groups of peaceful skinheads who do not display any kind of violent behavior.

In Colombia they are recognized for consuming large amounts of beer, hanging out in large groups, worshiping neo-Nazi icons and always being ready to start a brawl against another group.

6 - Hipsters

Hipsters are an urban tribe that can be found all over the world. They wear a vintage style, made up of skinny jeans, t-shirts with colorful prints and striking accessories with a retro flair.

Their ideology is to defend nature and take care of the environment. For this reason, they tend to promote environmental causes, consume organic and local products, and their main means of transportation is the bicycle.

Hipsters are termed as cultured people who reject consumerism.

7 - Muppies

The term "muppies" was first coined by the American writer Michelle Miller, as a way to group the terms "millennials" and "hippies".

In Colombia, the muppies are an urban tribe that follows trends and dresses in designer clothes. They have an informal style, far from etiquette and conservatism. They usually wear fashionable jean, casual and informal style garments.

Muppies use various accessories to decorate their mobile devices. Among her ideology is the responsible consumption of resources, the defense of nature and the pursuit of happiness.

In this sense, muppies prefer to have jobs they love regardless of the pay.

8 - Emos

The urban emos tribe had a great boom in Colombia about 10 years ago. However, over time it was losing followers until it became extinct (Holguín, 2015).

Members of this tribe borrowed elements from the punk and gothic aesthetic. Her clothing consisted of tight black jean, with a low rise. They wore striped shirts and colored shoelaces.

The most distinctive element of the emos was her hair, dropping a thick, straight bangs over one of her eyes. In general, they were seen as a fashion rather than a culture.

9 - Skaters

Skaters in Colombia are a tribe made up of young people who love extreme sports, particularly skateboarding or skateboarding. However, nowadays young people who also practice BMX are called a skater.

They usually dress comfortably, with skinny pants, baggy T-shirts, and flat-soled tennis shoes (to ensure adequate grip on the surface of the board).

They are recognized for having long and disheveled hair. They do not wear many accessories and usually wear hooded sweaters and T-shirts with brand logos.

10 - Geeks

Geeks in Colombia are characterized by being a group of young people who share an inordinate taste for video games, board games, flashy costumes, and certain movies, comics and television characters.

They are defined by worshiping everything that comes from science fiction or fantasy series and movies, being one of the most typical Star Wars.

References

1. Álvarez, A., & Guzman., N. (May 7, 2013). Urban Tribes in Bogotá. Obtained from Rudos: tribusurbanasbogot.blogspot.com
2. Dictionary, U. (October 12, 2007). Urban Dictionary. Retrieved from Urban Tribe: urbandictionary.com
3. Holguín, CA (May 18, 2015). The Colombian. Obtained from urban tribes that went out of style in Colombia: elcolombiano.com
4. Urbanas, T. (2017). Urban tribes. Obtained from Rappers / Hip-Hop Culture: todos-las-tribus-urbanas.blogspot.com
5. Urbanas, T. (2017). Urban tribes. Obtained from Skin Heads / Cultura skin (Skinheads): all-the-urban-tribes.blogspot.com.