The book of Warmth, published by Marca País and Puntoaparte Editores, covers this region of Colombia that stands out from other Caribbean countries thanks to its jungles, peaks, dunes, reefs, carnivals and its stunning cultural legacy.
While this is the most attractive region to visit for beach lovers, due to the seven-colored sea that bathes the coasts of the Archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina’s islands, among other things, it is also one of the most important in terms of the cultural encounters reflected in its architecture.
The Caribbean Region is made up of the following departments: La Guajira, Magdalena, Cesar, Atlantico, Bolivar, Sucre, Cordoba, Antioquia (Uraba), Choco (Caribbean coast) and the islands of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina.
The book of Warmth, gathering stories inspired by locals from all over the country, has several pages dedicated to this region: from testimonies about the impressive architectural patrimony in Cartagena, to stories about the mesmerizing colors of the sea in San Andres and Providencia. It is the region’s locals who narrate what they feel when they run through the desert dunes of La Guajira, or when they discover a tropical paradise of jungle and sea in Santa Marta, and how they dance to the rhythm in Barranquilla’s Carnival.
The book tells the story of Elida, a resident of Bolivar, who is a braider baring her African heritage and vindicating her resistance.
Daniel Olmos, from Puerto Colombia, is the surfing teacher everyone wants to have: he works so that girls and boys are able to succeed through the recreational sport. Yogletis Lopez, with his radiant smile, cooks for travelers in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta.
Humberto Narvaez, a beekeeper who represents the peasant organization Red Eco Agro, is «in love with the earth and with apiculture”, which is seen as the future of the families in La Guajira department.
A house in the historic district stands out for its flower-filled wooden balconies. María Eugenia Clavijo, a hospitality and tourism professional, works there.
The Rosario Islands, a small archipelago which is part of the insular region of Cartagena, is the workplace of marine biologist Beatriz Ossa. She is a diving instructor and owner of the Diving Planet school. «Her mission is to raise awareness on the importance of environmental care.»
However, the Colombian Caribbean region is described in these pages as a revelation far beyond the Caribbean itself. With the diversity of its natural environment – that goes from mountains covered by glaciers, jungle bays and remote islands – and the richness of its cultural heritage – for its fascinating traditions – it stands as a versatile region and almost impossible to think of as a single place.
Beyond its unique geography and ecosystem, the Caribbean is what its people have made of it: a territory rich in history, colonial landmarks and patriotic deeds swayed by the wind and the sea. This tradition survives through oral tales and music of its minstrels, who preserved these stories to the sound of accordion and mule, as well as the literature of Garcia Marquez, Jorge Artel, German Espinosa, Gomez Jattin and many others. The Caribbean is not just one: there are a thousand and one stories to unravel.
