Culture

Carnival

The carnival in Colombia was introduced by the Spaniards. The Colombian carnival has incorporated elements from European culture, and has managed to syncretise, or re-interpret, traditions that belonged to the African and Amerindian cultures of Colombia.

There is documentary evidence that the carnival existed in Colombia in the 18th century and had already caused concern to the colonial authorities, who censored the celebrations, especially in the mains centres of power such as Cartagena, Bogotá and Popayán. The carnival, therefore, continued its evolution and re-interpretation in the small and at that time unimportant towns where celebrations did not offend the ruling elites. The result was the uninterrupted celebration of carnival festivals in Barranquilla (Barranquilla Carnival), and other villages along the lower Magdalena River in northern Colombia, and in Pasto, Nariño (Blacks and Whites Carnival) in the south of the country.

In modern times, there have been attempts to introduce the carnival in the capital, Bogotá, in the early 20th century, but it has always failed to gain the approval of authorities. The Bogota Carnival has had to wait until the 21st century to be resurrected, this time, by the authorities of the city.

Cuisine

The cuisine of Colombia incorporates much regional variation; for example:

In the city of Medellín the typical dish is the bandeja paisa, which includes beans, rice, ground meat (carne asada), chorizo, fried egg, arepa and chicharrón. It is usually accompanied by avocado, tomato and sauces.
In the city of Cali, the most traditional dish is 'sancocho de gallina' - a soup composed mostly of chicken, plantain, corn, coriander, yuca root and other seasonings.
In Bogotá and the Andean region, ajiaco is the traditional dish. It is a type of soup made of chicken, potatoes, and flavoured with a locally grown herb called 'guasca'. Traditionally, cream and capers are added just before eating. Its is served with white rice, salads with a hint of lemon, avocado, or plantain chips, sweet or salty.
In the Caribbean coast, spicy cooking, with fish and lobster, is practiced. Coconut rice is a common dish along the coastal cities.
In the Llanos, barbecued meat, such as the 'ternera llanera' is common, and also typical river fish such as the 'amarillo'.
In the Tolima region, the Tamales Tolimenses are a delicacy. These tamales are made of a corn dough and feature peas, carrots, potatoes, rice, chicken, pork and various spices. They are wrapped in plantain leaves and boiled for three to four hours.

Music

Modern Colombian music is a mixture of African, native Indigenous and European (especially Spanish) influences, as well as more modern American and Caribbean musical forms, such as Trinidadian, Cuban, and Jamaican. The national music of Colombia is said to be vallenato and cumbia.

Cumbia is a mixture of Spanish and African music, the latter brought by slaves. The style of dance is designed to recall the shackles worn around the ankles of the slaves. In the 19th century, slavery was abolished and Africans, Indians and other ethnic groups mixed more fully. Styles like bambuco, vallenato and porro was especially influential. When the waltz became popular in the 19th century, a Colombian version called pasillo was invented. International Latin, a type of pop ballad, and salsa music are best-represented by Charlie Zaa and Joe Arroyo, respectively.