Immersed in Cartagena: History, Culture, and the Caribbean Spirit

The San Felipe Castle Fortress

I embark on my second year of travel, this time going south, my first stop is Cartagena, Colombia. Here I remained for six weeks as I mapped out the first several months of my travels. Cartagena is both a port, and a historic walled and fortress city situated on the Caribbean coast at the northern tip of South America. The city reminds me so much of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico from its fortress to its people, cuisine, Spanish colonial architecture, music and customs. This is a multiracial, multiethnic society, a blend of European, African and indigenous communities. Quite picturesque with its tropical year-around weather and festive Latin culture. Here is what I learned about its history, culture and Caribbean spirit….

But First a Bit of History…

Before the Spaniards arrived in Columbia in the early 1500s, there were at least a dozen indigenous groups spread throughout the country. Most of them conquered, resettled, or destroyed. By the 16th century, the need for slave labor was essential for production and building the wall that led the city of Cartagena becoming the main port for the entry of slaves into the country. This led to decades of slave rebellions that eventually allowed for the abolition of slavery in 1851.