5 Reasons Why Colombia Costeños Rule.

 

Although everybody loves Colombia´s Caribbean coast (just check out last week´s gallery again if you yourself still don´t), sometimes I get the feeling that its inhabitants, generally referred to as Costeños, often get a raw deal. In particular, it sometimes appears that some residents of the two major Colombian cities, Bogota and Medellin, can sometimes have a slight tendency to look down on their coastal relatives. While it´s claimed that Bogotanos have the best Spanish in the world (whatever that can possibly mean), the way Costeños use the language is often regarded as, well… different… if not indeed inferior. Check out this article for the lowdown. And the paisas, famed for their industrious natures, can sometimes be compared to the more easy-going, rumba-loving Costeños, with the former winning out. Am I wrong? Please let me know, because I´d love to be!

Anyway, if there´s any truth in it at all, I want to use this post as an opportunity to refute it once and for all, as the evidence seems to point in the completely opposite direction.

The fact is, my friends, that Costeños RULE. And here are just five reasons why.

 

Well, what other Colombian has won a

Nobel Prize?

 

 

I´ve got four words for you, guys: Gabriel Gar Cia Marquez. I think I could rest my argument right there, really. The Godfather of Colombian Imagination, Gabo´s storied career not only put his country on the literary map, but also the specific coastal environment – and language – he grew up in. You´d have to make a pretty good argument to convince me that Gabo´s literary contribution to Colombia isn´t the most important one of all time. I´m all ears, though.

 

Shakira, Shakira.

 

 

Um, Shakira´s pretty famous. In fact, name me a living Colombian that´s more famous, and I´ll eat my hat. You know that´s a serious wager, as I love my hat, and said hat is kinda funky. What you might not know is that she hails from Barranquilla, and is thus as Costeña as they come. Don´t let her fool you with her accent.

 

While we´re on the subject, this lady.

 

While we´re talking of ladies from Barranquilla with outrageous international fame and hips that have never been known to fib, it would be ridiculous to not mention Sofia Vergara. Her singing voice alone would place her firmly in this list.

 

Colombian Football Would Be Nowhere Near as Colombian Amazeballs Without Costeños.

 

 

One word could suffice for me to make this argument.

FALCAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

It could suffice, but this picture:

 

 

wouldn´t hurt my claim any, either.

 

If Costeños never existed, Music in General

Would Be a Sadder Place.

 

 

When I first thought about this category, I was thinking in particular of the aforementioned Shakira, Shakira, and latino music superstar (and notorious Tin Tin fan) Carlos Vives. Then, I realised that El Joe and Toto Momposina both lay claims to being costeños. And then I realised that without the coast, there´d be no cumbia, champeta or vallenato in Colombia. Which means, as far as I´m concerned, that there really wouldn´t be any Colombia. And that, Gentle Reader, would suck.