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February 4, 2026
‘A small Africa in Colombia’: the palenqueras of Cartagena
In the south American port city, an expressive Black ancestral community live full, self-fashioned lives protected by culture and identity
TL;DR
- The author experienced culture shock in Cartagena, Colombia, particularly concerning its racial legacy.
- Palenqueras, Black women in colorful dresses selling fruit and sweets, are descendants of escaped enslaved people from San Basilio de Palenque.
- San Basilio de Palenque, founded in the 1400s, is recognized as the first free town in the Americas.
- Cartagena was a major port for the slave trade, with over a million captive Africans brought there.
- A palenquera named Milena shared that her community has maintained its traditions, language (Bantu), and self-administration.
- The author reflects on the contrast between the prosperity of cities built on enslaved labor and the strong identity of communities like San Basilio de Palenque.
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