San Basilio de Palenque, Fortified village in Bolívar Department, Colombia.
San Basilio de Palenque is a small settlement near Cartagena set among green hills, featuring traditional houses with open gathering spaces for the community. The village displays a layout oriented toward shared life, with narrow streets and central meeting places for local gatherings.
An escaped enslaved man named Domingo Bioho founded this community in 1619 by leading fugitives through dense forests to safety. This established it as the first free African settlement in the Americas that continues to exist today.
The Palenquero language spoken here daily blends Spanish with African roots, creating a unique way of communication among residents. This speech pattern appears naturally in street conversations and community gatherings throughout the village.
Visitors can arrive from Cartagena with guided tours and enjoy traditional music performances and local food year-round. It helps to allow time for conversations with residents to understand the daily traditions and rhythms of the place.
This is the only surviving palenque in Colombia and preserves African heritage through oral storytelling, music, and dance passed down through generations. These living practices form the core of community life and set this place apart from other settlements in the region.
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