Colombia’s Pacific celebrates the “Petronio Festival”

Americas Now

Latin America has the largest population of descendants of African slaves, although exact numbers are hard to come by it is estimated that one-third of the region’s population is of African descent.

Every year Colombia welcomes those who want to celebrate African heritage at the “Petronio Festival,” the world’s largest Afro-Latino festival. This celebration began as a way to commemorate the musical diversity heard throughout the Pacific region. It is named in honor of an important Afro Colombian musician, Petronio Alvarez, born in 1914.