For centuries, palenques have been a symbol of resistance, identity and freedom for Afro-descendant communities in Colombia. These settlements, which emerged as refuges for enslaved people escaping colonial oppression, have endured over time. Today, their residents continue to maintain their vibrant traditions and customs.
The Colombian state currently officially recognizes four palenques. These are San Basilio de Palenque (Bolivar), San Jose de Ure (Cordoba), Jacobo Perez Escobar (Magdalena) and La Libertad (Sucre). Each palenque plays an important and unique role in Colombia’s culture and history.
Palenques in Colombia: cradles of resistance and Afro-descendant culture
Palenques emerged in Colombia in the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, when groups of enslaved Africans managed to escape from the plantations and mines where they were forced to work.
Following their escape, they sought strategic locations in the jungles and mountains where they could establish self-sufficient communities, known as palenques. These settlements represented an affront to Spanish colonisers, as their inhabitants promoted active resistance against slavery and European domination.
One of the most emblematic palenques is San Basilio de Palenque, founded by Benkos Bioho, a Maroon leader who organized numerous escapes and established a system of self-government in the region.
Bioho and his followers achieved such a level of organization and resistance that the Spanish Crown signed a peace treaty with them in 1603. Spain also recognized them as a free territory, which was an unprecedented event in the history of slavery in the Americas.
Cultural importance of palenques
The palenques were not only spaces of freedom, but also centers of cultural preservation. They maintained languages, music, dances and traditions brought from Africa, many of which have survived to the present day.
One of the greatest legacies of these communities is Palenquero, a creole language with a Spanish lexical base and African grammatical structures, which is still spoken in San Basilio de Palenque.
In addition, the palenques have become the cradle of musical expressions such as bullerengue and champeta, rhythms that combine African influences with indigenous and European sounds. Gastronomy is another defining pillar of Palenquero identity. Dishes such as coconut rice, fried fish and enyucado, reflect the fusion of African and Caribbean ingredients and culinary techniques.
Despite their historical and cultural importance, the palenques face ongoing difficulties in maintaining their legacy. Lack of resources, forced displacement due Colombia’s internal armed conflict, and the loss of cultural identity due to globalization all threaten their existence.
However, recognition by the Colombian state and international organizations has led to initiatives for their preservation.
Education plays a key role in this process, with efforts aimed at including the history of the palenques in school curricula and fostering pride in Colombia’s Afro-descendant heritage.
In addition, cultural festivals and economic support programs seek to strengthen these communities and ensure their continuity.
Palenques recognized by the Colombian State
San Basilio de Palenque
San Basilio de Palenque is the best known palenque and the first to be declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, in 2005. Until last year, the palenque was part of Mahates, in the department of Bolivar. However, it is now an independent municipality recognized for its language, music and legacy of resistance.
Located in the heart of the Montes de Maria mountains, the settlement was the first ‘free town’ in the Americas. Its inhabitants have maintained a strong cultural identity, and the town’s history is a testimony to the Afro-Colombians’ struggle for freedom and recognition.
The town is seen as the cradle of stories of Afro-Colombian resistance and culture. Among them is the anecdote of how the former slaves used drums to defy their colonial masters.
Under colonialism, enslaved people who managed to flee Cartagena found refuge in the palenque. However, the Spanish sent troops to recapture them. The Maroons, led by Benkos Bioho, developed a unique communication system: messages encoded in the rhythms of the drum. These warnings alerted them to the arrival of soldiers or called for secret meetings.
One of the best-remembered stories tells how, on a night in 1605, the drums resounded with a key message: “The enemy lurks.” Thanks to this secret communication, the Palenqueros were able to hide in the jungle and avoid being massacred. This ingenious method allowed the survival of the people and strengthened their resistance until they achieved peace with the Spanish crown in 1713.
Today, the drums continue to beat in Palenque, not as a warning, but as a symbol of identity and freedom. The music, as then, continues to tell stories of struggle and of hope.
San Jose de Ure
This palenque, located in the department of Cordoba, is less well known as San Basilio de Palenque but is equally remarkable. San Jose de Ure has been a bastion of the Afro-descendant community in the region, preserving customs and traditions despite facing profound socioeconomic challenges.
The community of San Jose de Ure is characterized by a rich ethnic diversity, including Afro-descendants, indigenous and mestizos. This mix is reflected in the town’s traditions, music, gastronomy and festivities, which are a living testimony of its ancestral heritage.
The inhabitants of San Jose de Ure have for decades struggled against forced displacement and violence resulting from the activities of the illegal armed groups operating in the region. However, they have still managed to maintain their cultural roots and ancestral practices.
In October 2024, UNESCO recognized the historical and cultural importance of San Jose de Ure by including it in the Network of Places of History and Memory linked to Slavery and the Slave Trade.
This recognition seeks to strengthen the preservation and valorization of these sites, promoting policies that support the creation of and access to cultural goods and services related to their legacy.
Jacobo Perez Escobar
Located in the department of Magdalena, the Jacobo Perez Escobar palenque is a living testimony of Afro-Colombian resistance. Situated in the municipality of Aracataca, birthplace of the famous Nobel Prize for Literature, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, its inhabitants have worked tirelessly to preserve their cultural roots and strengthen their identity as a Palenquero community.
The name of the palenque honors Jacobo Perez Escobar, a prominent jurist and the only Afro-descendant governor of Magdalena. Throughout its history, the community has faced various forms of violence, from the time of the marimba bonanza to more recent conflicts.
However, the community has managed to keep its cultural traditions alive, including alabanzas, dances such as the “cumbiamberos” and the “bailes de los negritos.” Its members have also revitalized their ancestral language.
In 2015, the palenque participated in the “One story, one root” meeting, where community members shared their experiences of resistance and cultural strengthening with other Palenquero populations.
These efforts seek to preserve Palenquero identity and promote the recovery of ancestral territories, reaffirming their legacy of freedom and resistance.
La Libertad
La Libertad is a small Palenquero village located in the department of Sucre. Like the other three palenques, it is an Afro-descendant community with a history of struggle and resistance dating back to the time of slavery. Founded by enslaved people who managed to escape from the colonial plantations, this town has preserved its cultural heritage over the centuries.
One of the main characteristics of La Libertad is its deep-rooted Palenquero identity. Its inhabitants have maintained many African traditions in their gastronomy, music and customs. Among its typical dishes are rice with coconut, sancocho and mote de queso, which reflect the African and Caribbean influence in its cuisine.
Another distinctive feature is its music and dance. Rhythms such as bullerengue and champeta are part of the daily life of the people and are expressions of resistance and celebration. In addition, its oral tradition is fundamental for the transmission of stories and ancestral knowledge.
La Libertad also stands out for its proximity to the Caribbean Sea, which gives it a beautiful natural environment. Fishing, handicrafts and cultural tourism are all key to its economy.
Towards the construction of Colombian identity
After more than two centuries of independence, Colombia is still struggling to define its own identity in an increasingly globalized world. It is also attempting to reclaim its identity following the initial imposition of white culture, first by the Europeans and then via customs imported from the United States. As part of this process, it is increasingly looking to its indigenous past and to its African heritage.
In this sense, palenques are more than just settlements. In Colombia, they are symbols of struggle, resistance and cultural heritage. Their history is a fundamental part of the country’s identity and a reminder of the impact of the African diaspora in Latin America.
The preservation of these territories is not only an act of historical justice, but also an opportunity to celebrate and value the cultural diversity of Colombia, which in itself forms part of the country’s national identity.