Barranquilla, double ton and going strong

For my first piece for Colombia Politics I wanted to write about something close to my heart; my adopted home, Barranquilla, the lady of many names who today celebrates a very special day.

Happy birthday Barranquilla, happy birthday La Areñosa (The Sandy place), La Puerta de Oro (The Golden Door),  Curramba La Bella, Killa

Young ?, well 200 isn’t exactly a spring chicken, but her older siblings – Santa Marta and Cartagena, are 488 and 480 years old,  respectively.

She’s been used and abused, mistreated and bashed around a bit, but she’s still here, and going strong.

You are probably familiar with her Carnaval, which has been declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Check out photographer Joel Duncan´s great album from this year´s party.

You may also be aware that she has been designated as the American Capital of Culture for 2013.

But there’s much more to this girl than meets the eye…

Let’s have a look at just a few significant moments over her first 200 years.

Barranquilla’s history has always been intertwined with the Magdalena River, on whose bank, she sits. In fact her name comes from the sand banks on the river’s edge, where the native fishermen used to beach their canoes.

7 April 1813 – ‘Officially’ given status as a town, by the President of the free state of Cartagena, in recognition of the courage and patriotism shown, and help given, in the battle of Independence against the Spanish  forces.

June 1919 – Scadta: The Worlds 2nd oldest Airline takes off  (by Sea-plane) from the Magdalena River. Initially, contracted to deliver mail between Barranquilla and nearby Puerto Colombia.

7 August 1924 – A group of Italian immigrants formed a team calling themselves ‘Juventus’. A little while later, they changes their name to ‘Juventud’, and a couple of years later, they settled on their current name- ‘Junior F.C.’, or their popular moniker – ‘The Sharks’.

1954 – The Cave (La Cueva): Bohemian bar/restaurant opens it’s doors, and is immediately frequented by “The Barranquilla group”, of Artists, Writers and Intellectuals, including such luminary names as; Alfonso Fuenmayor, Álvaro Cepeda Samudio, Germán Vargas, Gabriel García Márquez, Alejandro Obregón, Orlando Rivera “Figurita”, Julio Mario Santo Domingo, Fernando Botero, Meira Delmar, among others.

From my perspective as a recent immigrant, and the opinion of many to whom I have spoken, she has a certain magic, a nearly indescribable quality, which attracts, captivates, allures, without ever really giving too much of herself away. Case in point, today´s her bicentenary, and yet around the city you wouldn’t know it. Life seems (crazily) normal here, as if she doesn’t care.

She’s cosmopolitan, yet strangely conservative. Full of life and vigor, but not too early in the week please. She’s loud and brash, but not on Sundays. She’s resplendant with colour, except when Colombia plays at the stadium…then she’s all yellow.

Well, we’ve looked, briefly at where she’s been, but where’s she going?

I think the future’s very, very bright for the following reasons;

Recently signed free trade agreements with the north and countries to her east, and her position as Colombia’s principal Caribbean Port , mean commerce and investment will continue to grow in coming years (caveat; as long as authorities can maintain and improve infrastructure).

Urbanisation from the small towns and villages to the ‘big Mango’, and immigration will also contribute to her future health, as it has always done.

And the hardworking spirit and industry of the Barranquilleros means she continues to grow apace and is in pole position to take advantage of Colombia´s emergence on the economic world stage.

Well, that’s it my friends. I´ll be reporting more on the ins and outs of life here on the coast, who the political movers and shakers are and offering you a perspective away from Bogotá, Medellin and the rest – a different Colombia!

Sunday lunch is around the corner so all that’s left to do is, in true Barranquillero fashion,  crack open that garrafon de guaro, and toast the birthday girl…Salud y Feliz Cumpleanos !!!

Te quiero mucho … Curramba la Bella. As we say in my Islands – Tihei Mauri Ora!