Cartagena de Indias was once one of the main ports of entry for African slaves into the Americas. Among the tens of thousands who were forced to live under inhumane conditions, one man rose as a symbol of resistance, freedom, and dignity: Benkos Bioho. His story not only marked the struggle against slavery in Colombia but also left an indelible mark on the Afro-descendant memory of the country.
The story of Benkos Bioho, the leader who defied slavery in Colombia
Benkos Bioho was born in present-day Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, in the mid-16th century. He was a leader of the Bijago ethnic group and, according to some accounts, a member of the royal family. He was captured by Portuguese slave traders and sold into slavery. After a long and harrowing journey across the Atlantic, he arrived in Cartagena de Indias, one of the most prominent slave-trading cities in the Americas at the time.
But Bioho did not accept the fate that had been imposed upon him. From the very beginning, he devised plans to escape and rebel. In 1599, he successfully fled with a group of enslaved people and retreated to the rural areas south of the city. There, he founded the palenque of San Basilio, a free community of runaway slaves now known as San Basilio de Palenque, the first free town in the Americas.
The Palenque: A symbol of freedom and resistance
Under Bioho’s leadership, San Basilio de Palenque became a stronghold of resistance. He established an autonomous political, judicial, and military system where former slaves lived under their own laws, spoke their own language (Palenquero), and freely practiced their African traditions. The palenque was not only a place of refuge but also a strategic center of opposition to the slave system.
Bioho was a visionary leader. He created escape routes for other enslaved people, spied on the colonizers’ movements, and organized a communication network among different palenques in the region. His success was so significant that in 1605, colonial authorities signed a peace treaty with him, effectively recognizing the palenque as an autonomous territory. However, the promise would be short-lived.
In 1619, Bioho was captured again under unclear circumstances. He was publicly hanged by colonial authorities in Cartagena as a warning and punishment. His body was dismembered and displayed in the city’s main square to instill fear. Nevertheless, his death did not extinguish the flame of freedom he had ignited.
The legacy of Benkos Bioho
Today, Bioho is regarded as a hero of Afro-descendant resistance in Colombia and Latin America. His struggle inspired generations of cimarrones (maroons) — runaway slaves — to rebel and claim their freedom. San Basilio de Palenque, his most visible legacy, was declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005, recognizing its role as a symbol of resistance and the birthplace of Afro-Colombian culture.
In Cartagena, his story is honored through sculptures and murals dedicated to his memory. Every year, the people of Palenque celebrate him not as a martyr, but as a liberator. His legacy has also influenced music, literature, and education, encouraging greater recognition of the African contribution to Colombia’s history and culture.
Bioho was not merely a rebellious slave; he was a strategist, a social organizer, a spiritual leader, and a living symbol of human dignity in the face of oppression. In times when Afro-descendant voices demand recognition and equality, the figure of Benkos Bioho remains as relevant as ever.