Columbia

   

     Columbia is known for its amazing beauty and vast jungles, Colombia offers many surprises. Some people do not associate the Republic of Colombia as part of the Caribbean region. However, the country has 1000 miles of Caribbean coast extending from the Gulf of Urab to the Gulf of Venezuela. The only Caribbean island with that much coastline is Cuba. The Caribbean Coastal region covers 51,077 sq. miles which definitely makes it geographically "Caribbean".

    Colombia's coast is marked by natural flora and fauna that attract visitors year-round. The largest protected area is Tayrona National Natural Park along the Caribbean coast. Santa Marta, the first Spanish settlement in Colombia, and its oldest surviving city. The region makes a prime tourist destination. Interesting fact, Santa Marta is officially named “Distrito Turístico, Cultural e Histórico e Santa Marta” which means “Touristic, Cultural and Historic District of Santa Marta".

    The Spanish first reached the Guajira Peninsula of Colombia in 1499, with Christopher Columbus around in 1502, the first settlement on the mainland was not established until 1510.  Fifteen years later, Santa Marta, was founded in 1525, followed by Cartagena in 1533. 

    In 1536, Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada led an expedition to claim each district he passed through as part of the “New Kingdom of Granada”.  With the conquest a New Granada region expanded and became part of the larger Viceroyalty of Peru; in 1547 New Granada was designated as the “Captaincy-General of New Granada” within the viceroyalty.

    The Spanish began to import Africans for labor, but was unable to establish an efficient system to buy slaves in Africa, the Spanish relied on the asiento system, a licensing system, through which they buy Africans from Portugal, France England, or the Dutch Empire. These enslaved people provided labor for all the different agricultural interests, but also to mine gold and silver, and they built large necessary forts to fight off pirates.

    There were several rebel movements and wars with Britain, New Granada remained under Spanish rule until July 20, 1810, the Colombian Declaration of Independence was issued. The territory of the Viceroyalty was restored and New Granada did not actually become independent until Simon Bolivar proclaimed independence in 1819. The country was the first constitutional government in South America. However, although Britain abolished slavery in 1834, and France abolished slavery permanently in 1848, slavery in Colombia was not abolished until 1851.

    Colombian art has over 3,000 years of history. Colombian artists have captured the country's changing political and cultural backdrop using a range of styles and mediums. There is archeological evidence of ceramics being produced earlier in Colombia than anywhere else in the Americas, dating as early as 3,000 BCE. The Colombian sculpture from the sixteenth to 18th centuries was mostly devoted to religious depictions of ecclesiastic art, strongly influenced by the Spanish schools of sacred sculpture. During the early period of the Colombian republic, the national artists were focused on the production of sculptural portraits of politicians and public figures, in a plain neoclassicist trend.

    Most Colombians are adherents of Roman Catholicism. In Colombian society, taking an authoritative role in the community and having great influence in government is a sign of respect and power. Religious freedom is guaranteed by the constitution, and the role of Protestant and independent Christian communities is small but growing. There are also even smaller Jewish and Mormon communities. A few Indian groups in remote areas still follow their traditional religions. Encyclopaedia Britannica, inc.

Sources

    COLOMBIA, The virtual Caribbean Libary, December, 2019, https://ggccaribbean.wpengine.com/listing/colombia/

     Parson, James, COLOMBIA, Encyclopaedia Britannica, inc, September 15,2020,  https://www.britannica.com/place/Colombia