A Different Side of Colombia

San Basilio de Palenque

One of the most fascinating visits was to San Basilio de Palenque, although the community asked us to refer to it as Palenque de Benkos.

Palenque has an extraordinary history. It was established by people who had escaped slavery and created their own community, and is generally recognised as the first free African town in the Americas.

We heard the story of Benkos Biohó, who led a rebellion of escaped enslaved people in the 1600s and became such an important figure in the history of Palenque.

What really struck me was how clever people had to be simply to survive.

We were told how women used hairstyles and braids to pass on information and even map escape routes. Drums were also used to communicate and send warnings. Things that, to an outsider, might simply look like music, hairstyles or tradition actually had a much deeper purpose.

I found that fascinating.

A Strong African Heritage

You immediately feel the strong African influence in Palenque.

The music, the dancing, the language, the food and the people all reflect the history of those who were brought here from Africa and the culture they fought to preserve. It felt noticeably different from some of the other parts of Colombia we’d visited.

Colombia has such an interesting mix of Indigenous, European and African influences, but here the African heritage was particularly strong.

The Boxer Who Never Forgot Home

Palenque is also the birthplace of Antonio Cervantes, better known as Kid Pambelé, Colombia’s first world boxing champion.

We were told that once he became successful, he used his position to push for improvements in his home town, including things like electricity and education.

The story we heard was that he wasn’t prepared to forget where he came from once he became famous.

I loved that.

And Then There Were the Children

But probably the thing I’ll remember most from these little towns is the children.

They were absolutely gorgeous.

They followed us around, wanted to talk to us and at one point were literally lining up for hugs.

I’ve got a photo of them waiting their turn and honestly, I think it says more than I ever could.

They were just so sweet and so excited that we were there.

We had been specifically asked not to give the children money, sweets or gifts.

At first that feels a little strange because your instinct is to give them something, but there was a very good reason for it.

The communities don’t want the children to grow up seeing visitors as people who arrive bearing gifts or to learn to ask tourists for things.

Instead, the idea is that our visits contribute to the local economy in a much more sustainable way.

Local guides are employed. Performers are paid. Crafts are sold. Families and community groups are involved.

We really liked that approach.

Calamar and Santa Bárbara de Pinto

We also visited smaller towns including Calamar and Santa Bárbara de Pinto.

In Calamar we headed off in little pedal-powered taxis, or bicitaxis, travelled along the waterfront and visited the local House of Culture.

In Santa Bárbara de Pinto we walked through the countryside into town and saw fishing nets being woven, tobacco being rolled by hand, local crafts and traditional dancing.

None of it was particularly polished.

And actually, that was the appeal.

These weren’t performances in big purpose-built tourist centres. They were small communities showing us aspects of their everyday life and traditions.

Tourism That Actually Helps

I think this is the part I appreciated most.

There is always a slight discomfort when you visit somewhere that is obviously much poorer than your own world. You don’t want people to feel as though they are being looked at, and you certainly don’t want poverty to become some sort of tourist attraction.

But these visits felt very community-led. We were being invited in.

People were sharing their culture, their music, their crafts and their history, and our being there was contributing economically to the people who live there.

That felt very different.