Exploring Congo Cultural Heritage in Panama: Insights from an Immersive Study Abroad Program
By Sumanth Reddy
Assistant Professor of Geography, Bowie State University
Published in Freedom: Volume 3
Keywords
Congo culture; African diaspora; Panama; Portobelo; Transformative Learning Theory, experiential learning; study abroad; HBCU students
Abstract
During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Spaniards used the port town of Portobelo on Panama’s northern Isthmus to ship silver and gold from South America to Spain. Many people of African descent—transported as enslaved persons or later emancipated—formed alliances with the British against Spanish authority. These African descendants, known as Cimarróns, established settlements along Panama’s Caribbean coast. Portobelo evolved into a critical Cimarrón community that has safeguarded its Congo culture, which endures as a vibrant artistic tradition and customary practice among these Afro‑descendant populations. Congo culture represents a distinctive expression of Afro‑Panamanian heritage and embodies themes of resistance and resilience in the face of slavery and Spanish colonial domination. Portobelo is recognized as a historic town renowned for its Congo cultural patrimony and is listed by UNESCO for its Spanish colonial fortifications. This photo essay uses the Transformative Learning Theory as the primary theoretical framework to examine the learning experiences of a group of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) students who participated in an eight‑day study‑abroad program in Panama to explore Congo culture. The students engaged in daily workshops and activities in Portobelo focused on art, drumming, dancing, costume and craft production, culinary traditions, storytelling, and other aspects of Congo practice. In addition, they explored regional contexts to gain deeper insight into Panama’s history, geography, economy, and people.
Digital Object Identifier
DOI: https://DOI.org/10.65373/QVRV1037
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