Palenque – a piece of motherland Africa

Maybe it is because we are in the age of “wokeness” or maybe as I have gotten older I have learned to appreciate and value my heritage and melanin! more than ever before. So when I started my research on Cartagena I realized there is a town named San Basilio de Palenque that is nestled in the foothills of a small mountain range 1.5 hours south of Cartagena.

I must admit I am tad disappointed that you don’t hear or see much about Palenque – it doesn’t appear in many travel guidebooks, and few tourists take the time to visit. So if you have already heard about this area good for you! and if this is your first time then let me give you a brief intro to this wonderful excursion and why you must incorporate destination into your itinerary!

A quick history lesson: Palenque was founded sometime 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. He fled his captors into the swamps to the south of Cartagena and went on to form an army of escaped slaves who conquered the area around the Montes de Maria. Biohó also created an intelligence network, which helped to facilitate more escapes. Basically Biohó was like the Harriett Tubman of Colombia – yes Kanye she really did help slaves

Fun Fact: The iconic palenqueras of Cartagena, who appear in so many tourist photos, come from San Basilio Palenque. They sell traditional coconut sweets, developed over hundreds of years within the community, and pose for pictures in traditional dress. However, most of the tourists smiling in those photos never know the fascinating history of San Basilio de Palenque and its inhabitants, past and present. – but now you do!

If you are interested in taking this tour then please don’t look any further than Experience The Real Cartagena – they offer a half day tour for 80$ USD which includes:

• Transportation (air conditioning vehicle)
• Lunch
• Tour guide
• Hotel pick up/drop off

The tour starts with a walking tour around the community of Palenque, we also were able to visit a local home to learn about the family and their fruit-based candy business, interaction with the natives

We also were able to visit the school of music and arts for a performance of a traditional music group and traditional dances (monetary donation is suggested for the school)

you will also get to know about the history of the town and how the locals were able to escape from their captors – and how African men were supported by their own women who built maps and roads in their hair braiding to get oriented in the woods and make it to the village where they would make it to freedom. sidenote: can I just say women are so amazing!

Palenque is small settlement of some 4,000 people and it is one of the most important historical villages in the Americas and a UNESCO-declared ‘Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity’ since 2005. Palenque is also home of the first world boxing champion, Antonio Cervantes “Kid Pambele” and first Afro-Colombian movie actor “Evaristo Marquez”, who made a movie with Marlon Brando in 1968 called La Quemada.

There was so much beauty and history to learn in and about Palenque – I really hope it gets added to your Cartagena itinerary because it is definitely an eyeopening experience that should not be missed!

Full gallery of my Palenque experience here

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