Colombia’s diverse culture is a product of its unique history, and its African, European and Native Indian influences. Colombia is home to more than 85 different ethnic groups who shape the country’s national identity and culture, including Afro-Colombians (10.6%) and Native Indians (3.4%)

Music

The music of Colombia is as diverse as its geographic regions. From cumbia and vallenato, to currulao and guabina, to champeta and joropo llanero, the music of Colombia embodies the distinctive heritage of the Colombian people and the creativity of the nation’s artists. Traditional Colombian music reflects a plural culture, one that embraces its many roots in African, European and Native Indian influences. The variation in music from one region to another is based largely on which of the three cultural influences is the most prominent. On the Caribbean Coast and Pacific Coasts, the music is heavily influenced by African culture. In contrast, music from the Andean region reflects the strength of the Native Indian influence, while in the plains, the strongest influence is that of European culture.

In addition to the rich sounds of traditional Colombian music, many of today’s most talented, contemporary Latin American artists are Colombian. Musicians from Colombia have won numerous awards from both the U.S. and Latin recording industry associations, including Shakira, Juanes and Fonseca.

Traditional Colombian Music

Cumbia
• Cumbia is the most recognized musical style in Colombia. The genre, which originated on the Atlantic Coast, dates back to the early 19th century and is strongly influenced by African culture.

• The instruments used in cumbia are drums, the gaita (a Native Indian flute), claves, trombones, guitars and maracas – which are used to accompany the voices of talented singers.

Vallenato (European influenced)
• The word vallenato, which translates to “born in the valley” originated in the valley between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía de Perijá mountain ranges. Vallenato was originally a means of spreading news between towns with the accompaniment of the accordion.

• Combining the sounds of an accordion, a small drum called the caja vallenata and a wooden ribbed stick and fork known as the guacharaca, vallenato is one of Colombia’s most popular traditional forms of folk music.

Llanera
• Referred to most often as joropo llanero, this style relies heavily on  European instruments such as the harp and the guitar. It is performed along the plains (los llanos) east of the Andes between Colombia and Venezuela.

Visual Arts

Colombia is the birthplace of internationally recognized and talented artists, including figurative artist Fernando Botero, painter Alejandro Obregón and sculptor Doris Salcedo, among many others. From Botero’s massive sculptures that have been displayed along Park Ave. in New York City, the Mall in Washington DC and the Champs-Elysée in Paris, to Salcedo’s work in the turbine hall of the Tate Modern art gallery in London, Colombia’s visual artists have showcased their talent on the world stage.

Festivals

Colombia is a cultural mecca. Throughout the year in cities all around the country, the people of Colombia participate in more than 30 spirited festivals and fairs. These cultural events pay homage to Colombian heritage, keep alive important ancestral traditions and showcase the rich culture.

The most popular celebrations include the Ibero-American Theater Festival of Bogotá, the Vallenato Legend Festival (Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata), the Carnival of Barranquilla and the Carnival of Blacks and Whites (Festival de Negros y Blancos).

Colombia-United States Cultural Exchange Programs

Over the years, Colombia and the United States have expanded their bilateral relations through cultural exchanges. The Fulbright Commission in Colombia was established in January 1957 through an international agreement between Colombia and the United States. Its mission is to widen the understanding of both countries through cultural and educational exchanges, achieved through grants provided to both Colombian and American students.

Over the past 50 years, more than 3,400 Colombians and Americans combined have been Fulbright scholars, broadening relations between the two countries through academics, science and culture.

The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation has supported several initiatives to deepen ties between the two nations. Between 2003 and 2004, the program supported the documentation of indigenous traditions in the Sierra Nevada region. In 2005, the Fund supported the conservation of the Apostle Santiago Rampart, built in Cartagena in 1614 and designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984.

Colombia and the U.S. Smithsonian Institution have also developed a strong relationship. One of the most representative results of this collaboration is a MOU signed last year between the Institution and the Ministry of Culture of Colombia, regarding Colombia’s participation in the 2011 Folklife Festival. Colombia will participate as the featured country, and will have the unique opportunity to share its cultural diversity with the more than one million visitors who enjoy the festival every year.