Ana Mercedes Hoyos’s "The Procession"

1989

San Basilio de Palenque was the first free African town in the Americas.

In the early 17th century, self-emancipated Africans established San Basilio de Palenque in northern Colombia. The Spanish crown recognized it as a free territory in 1713. The community has preserved its matriarchal culture, customs, and its language, Palenquero. A mix of Spanish, Portuguese, and African Bantu languages like Kikongo and Kimbundu, Palenquero represents the population’s diverse origins. In 2005, UNESCO declared San Basilio de Palenque a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Moved by the community’s intimacy and enduring traditions, Colombian artist Ana Mercedes Hoyos (1942–2014) created a series of paintings, drawings, and photographs from her experiences in San Basilio de Palenque. The photograph The Procession shows lines of girls ready to participate in Palenque’s annual religious procession.