What is special about San Basilio de Palenque?
What is special about San Basilio de Palenque?
The first ‘free town’ in the Americas, Palenque founded by those who fled a life of slavery in colonial times, has been preserved intact in Colombia. It’s a unique place, famous for its culture, language, gastronomy and, of course, its history.
What is Afro Colombian music?
An acoustic folk music developed by his enslaved ancestors along Colombia’s Pacific coast helped to keep John Jairo Cortez on the straight and narrow. Pronounced koo-roo-LAO, the music combines drums and marimbas and is popular along the Pacific coast, where most of the population is Afro-Colombian.
Who founded San Basilio de Palenque?
Benkos Biohó
Palenque was founded in the 16th century – the exact date remains unknown – by Benkos Biohó, a former African king from either the Democratic Republic of Congo or Angola, who was sold into slavery and escaped the slave port of Cartagena in 1599.
How many people live in San Basilio de Palenque?
about 3,500 inhabitants
The village of Palenque de San Basilio, with a population of about 3,500 inhabitants, is located in the foothills of the Montes de María, southeast of the regional capital, Cartagena.
What languages are spoken in San Basilio de Palenque?
It is primarily spoken in the village of San Basilio de Palenque which is southeast of Cartagena, and in some neighbourhoods of Barranquilla….
| Palenquero | |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity | 6,637 (2018) |
| Native speakers | 2,788 (2005) |
| Language family | Spanish Creole Palenquero |
| Writing system | Latin (Spanish alphabet) |
What music originated in Colombia?
Colombia is known as “The land of a thousand rhythms” but actually holds over 1,025 folk rhythms. Some of the best known genres are cumbia and vallenato. The most recognized interpreters of traditional Caribbean and Afrocolombian music are Totó la Momposina and Francisco Zumaqué.
Why do Mexicans say huevos?
Huevos, cojones, pelotas. Huevos literally means “eggs” and pelotas are “balls”, but these words are also slang for “testicles” (cojones). Here are a few useful expressions, but don’t be surprised if you hear testicles mentioned in other contexts!
What makes San Basilio de Palenque so special?
Music and dance are the soul of San Basilio de Palenque. Drums rumble and energetic dancers make the floor vibrate. Spectators’ hearts beat faster, swelling with the sound of song, and the influence of Africa is evident all around.
What instruments are used in San Basilio de Palenque?
Percussion instruments in the palenque thrum to beats such as puya, son, pava and mapalé and every occasion, even death, is marked with the beat of a drum. Joy is contagious in San Basilio de Palenque.
Where is Palenque spoken?
Palenque was spoken in all of the palenques that formed at the time and is native to African communities in the Americas. Today it is spoken only in San Basilio de Palenque and is one of Colombia’s 69 native languages.
Who is Son Palenque?
With more than ten albums and an outstanding career that has taken them through different parts of the world, Son Palenque is a responsible for a hotbed of artists dedicated to champeta in the city of Cartagena, including Viviano Torres, Charles King, Melchor Pérez and Kassiva.
