Cartagena Is Great, But Here’s Why Black Travelers Should Explore Colombia’s Pacific Coast

Colombia’s Caribbean coast, specifically Cartagena, is a destination beloved by Black travelers. Cartagena has one of the highest concentrations of Afro-Colombians, where an estimated 60% percent say they are of African descent. Cartagena resonates so well with Black travelers because the evidence of West Africa’s influence is palpable in the art, food, and music.

However, there’s another region that Black travelers should explore for a deeper connection to Afro-Colombian history and culture. Travelers often overlook Colombia’s Pacific Coast in favor of the Caribbean coast, but it’s home to Colombia’s largest Afro-Colombian population.

The history of Afro-Colombians on the Pacific Coast dates back to the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Enslaved Africans were brought over to work on sugarcane plantations and in gold mines. Colombia’s Pacific is home to the second-highest population of Black people in Latin America after Brazil.

Many people are familiar with San Basilio de Palenque. Located near Cartagena, UNESCO considers it the first free settlement in the Americas. There were also palenques established on the Pacific Coast. Many historians believe the region known as Chocó is one of them. Colombian leaders established Chocó as a department in 1945. This marked the first predominantly African political and administrative department (similar to a state) in Colombia.

Afro-Colombian Population

A post-census survey by the government estimates that 10% of Colombia’s total population identifies as Afro-Colombian. That’s about 4 million people. However, leaders such as Luis Gilberto Murillo Urrutia, the former governor of the Chocó department, believe it’s 40%.  Francia Márquez Mina, the first Black woman Vice President of Colombia, also argues that there are approximately 15 million Afro-descendants in Colombia.

Census numbers show that over 90% of the Afro-Colombian population resides on the Pacific Coast, compared to approximately 60% on the Atlantic Coast. Cities such as Quibdó in Chocó, Buenaventura and Cali in the Valle del Cauca department, and Tumaco in Colombia’s Nariño department all report having a majority Afro-Colombian population.

It’s important to note that there are some questions regarding the validity of Colombia’s consensus numbers. Part of the reason is that some people don’t consider themselves Afro-Colombian because of societal stigmas associated with being of African descent. Some people prefer to identify as mestizo, referring to multiracial instead.

Connecting With Afro-Colombian Culture On The Pacific Coast

The Chocó Region, which covers Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador, is one of the most important areas of conservation globally. It is rich in biodiversity with over 9,000 vascular plants and various endemic birds and mammals. Afro-Colombians in the region are considered the “natural custodians” of the land. They play a critical role in biodiversity conservation.

In Nuquí and Bahía Solano, also in Chocó, you will find the rhythms of currulao, a musical genre and dance characterized by the use of marimbas, drums, and the guasá. Historians describe currulao as an archive of Black survival and a symbol for cultural reclamation. It is also recognized as a significant cultural expression of the Black communities in the region.

As you eat and drink your way through the Pacific Coast, drinks like Viche, a traditional alcoholic spirit, hold deep cultural and spiritual significance for Afro-Colombian communities.  After years of fighting for recognition, the spirit distilled from sugarcane was officially recognized as a heritage drink in 2021. The law acknowledges viche as the patrimonial beverage of the Black Pacific Communities and protects the spirit, which outsiders have tried to exploit for years. Viche has grown in popularity for use in cocktails. Afro-Colombian communities, however, use it for spiritual purposes, in rituals and ceremonies for fertility and baptisms.

The Afro-Colombian flavor on the Pacific Coast is rich in seafood, coconut milk sauces, cimarron (a type of Mexican coriander), and cilantro, served with plantains or yuca. These ingredients contribute a distinct flavor to the region, setting it apart from the Caribbean coast. One key dish is arroz tumbacatre, or seafood rice, and features shellfish, rice, vegetables, and flavored spices.

Another highlight in the region is the Petronio Alvarez Festival.  The festival takes place in Cali every year and attracts hundreds of thousands of people for what is the biggest celebration of Afro-Colombian music and culture.

Colombia’s Pacific Coast Offers Deeper Connection For Black Travelers

Cartagena will always be a vibrant and cultural gem. However, Black travelers should consider venturing to Colombia’s Pacific Coast, as it has long been overlooked and underfunded. By visiting the Pacific Coast, Black travelers will have the opportunity to support Afro-Colombian businesses and communities. They will also connect with a population that remains largely untouched and remote from visitors.

This creates an authentic experience and a unique chance to deepen your connection with Afro-Colombian heritage in a region with significant cultural and ancestral ties to the African diaspora.

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