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Since Thursday of the second week of October, the National "Bullerengue" Festival (Festival Nacional del Bullerengue) has been held in the town of Necoclí (Urabá Antioquia), a celebration similar to those that also take place in other municipalities on the Colombian Atlantic coast such as María La Baja (Bolívar) and Puerto Escondido (Córdoba).
For four days, Necoclians and tourists pay tribute to the bullerengue, a musical rhythm typical of Afro-Colombian culture coming from the runaway slaves who, having escaped from their masters in Cartagena, took refuge in different towns founded by themselves such as Palenque de San Basilio and Barú (current department of Bolívar).
Traditionally the bullerengue is performed by a mixed group in which women (cantaoras) lead the singing, in the form of a question and answer, and men (drummers) mark the rhythm with the calling drum and the cheerful drum, fundamental instruments of this musical genre.
During the four days of the festival in Necoclí, different presentations by bullerengue groups are held, as well as discussions and workshops on this tradition from the Urabá region, seeking to keep alive the ancestral heritage of the Afro-descendant populations in the area.
Likewise, contests are held in which categories such as best singer, best drummer, best caller, best male and female dancer, and best unreleased song are awarded.
The National Bullerengue Festival (Festival Nacional del Bullerengue) in Necoclí is an emblematic celebration that honors and revitalizes an essential part of Colombian cultural heritage, ensuring the survival of one of the most emblematic traditions of the Afro-descendant population of the Colombian Atlantic coast and serving as an eternal tribute to the resistance against slavery.
