C3: Culture

Colombia

• Population: 47 mil

• Area: 1.1 mil km²

  • Twice the size of Texas

• Capital: Santa Fe de Bogotá

  • Population: 9.7 mi

• Major cities

  • Medellín (3.9 mil) 

  • Cali (2.6 mil)

  • Barranquilla (2.0 mil)

  • Cartagena (1.0 mil)

• Currency: Colombian peso

• Languages: Spanish, Chibcha, Guajiro, 90 indigenous languages 

Tayrona National Natural Park

• Located in northern colombia 

• Features bays, beaches, mangroves, forests

• More than 100 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, 50 species of reptiles, several archaeological ruins of the Tayrona indigenous people (one of the pre-HIspanic peoples before the arrival of Columbus)

• Activities

  • Hiking in the mountains

  • Walking on the beach 

  • Horseback riding

  • Swimming 

  • Water skiing

  • Fishing

  • Scuba diving

  • Snorkeling 

  • Playing sports

Trades and Occupations

• Famous Colombian singers like Shakira and Jeanes work for peace and children’s education in Colombia

• Shakira has been working with her Barefoot Foundation since 1997 in Barranquilla 

  • At 18 she decided to help and promote the education, nutrition, and health of Colombian Children 

  • Has 6 schools in different regions where more than 4000 kids receive education and nutrition 

• Juanes has a foundation called Mi Sangre (“My blood”) since 2006

  • Helps landmine victims financially and psychologically by reintegrating them into the community and providing children and adolescents with peace education 

  • Juanes’s song “Fíjate bien” addresses the landmine problem

Arts

• Fernando Botero is the most recognized Colombian artist in the world for his large robust figures 

• From Medellín and his family was very poor 

• Many of his works depict Colombian pastimes such as music, dancing, bullfights, etc

Music

• National rhythm is cumbia 

• Cumbia is a blend of Spanish and African music 

• 19th century, the influence of indigenous music appeared with vallenato and porro

• Now modern Colombian music is influenced by electronic music, rock, punk, mariachi, etc

• Juanes’s music is a fusion of rock with colombian rhythms such as vallenato and cumbia

  • Themes are political, social, and romantic