Santander, a territory full of tireless people who preserve the legacy of their land and ancestors

Credit: WILLIAM RG /Shutterstock

Santander is an agricultural department, marked by its mountainous geography and multiculturalism from which an imposing culture is derived, people with great personality and unique heritage towns of Colombia.

The department of Santander is part of the Colombian Eastern Andes. The region in which colonization began, but it was also the liberating route; in which you can witness peaks, moors and valleys; in which you can enjoy a rich cultural offer. In addition, it is the territory that transports its  visitors to colonial towns in which it feels like being in another era.

Geography

Santander is also a department located in the north of the country, is part of the Andean region and its territory covers the western slope of the Cordillera Oriental. This makes the territory present a high seismic activity, so it is cataloged as  the seismic nest of Bucaramanga.

Also, the organization of the department is decentralized and is divided into seven regional provinces Comunera, García Rovira, Guanentá, Metropolitana, Yariguíes, Soto Norte and Vélez.

On the other hand, most of the rivers and streams are tributaries of the Magdalena River,among them are El Ermitaño, El Carare, Opón, El Suárez and Chicamocha.

Highlighted quote: The department of Santander has 30537 km²  of  surface, very similar to that of Belgium.

Destination and extreme activities

Thanks to the mountainous reliefs, the department has unique natural scenarios such as the Chicamocha National Park, Barichara (heritage town), San Gil, Los Santos and El Gallirenal Natural Park.

There are also destinations such as Rionegro, San Juan de Girón, El Socorro, Zapatoca, Vélez, Guadalupe, Gámbita, Florial, Parque Cerro del Santísimo,  among others.

In addition, in the territory you can practice extreme sports such as paragliding, hiking, trekking, rafting, canopy, torrenting, bungee jumping, downhill, caving,etc.

Featured: Get to know the tourist offer in the magazine of the department of Cundinamarca.

Credit: Medhi3330// Shutterstock

Photo caption: Chicamocha National Park  is one of the most important destinations in the country, ideal for ecotourism.

Culture and history

In the territory the Santander identity comes from a fusion of diverse cultures: mestizos, Afro-descendants, indigenous and gypsies. To this is added the European immigration, especially of  Spaniards, British, French and Italians,  who arrived from Venezuela and then settled in the department.

Likewise, santanderean customs are forged as a result of the geographical conditions of the territory. During history the inhabitants have had to adapt to the wild nature,therefore, its inhabitants are known for having a strong, hardworking, brave and helpfulpersonality. This culture also highlights the  importance of women, their great character and their struggle for rights.

Also in the department lived an important community of indigenous people, the Guanes,who, in reality, were the first settlers of the territory. It is known that they inhabited the  Chicamocha canyon or the Gallinazo canyon. They are also credited with the strong personality of Santander and the artisanal techniques to make crafts with cotton and ceiba fibers.

Outstanding quote: In Barichara the culture of the stone stem predominates because in addition to being a custom of the people, it is part of their identity itself. So, thanks to the Museum of Carving and festivals, it has been allowed to continue with it.

Gastronomy

The art of its gastronomy is derived from the fusion of Spanish and indigenousfood, in addition to the great influence of its geographical location. It is normal to find foods such as  banana, pineapple, potato, pear guava, tomato, feijoa, cocoa, avocado, mulberry, malanga, etc.

From the above are derived traditional dishes such as cabrito santandereano, pepitoria de santander, ants culonas, oreada or dried meat, mute santandereano, arepa de maíz, bocadillo veleño and the guarapo comunero.

Festivities and music

In the department the traditional music is guabina, one of the most popular rhythms in the region; the bambuco, which has three possible origins, indigenous, Spanish or African;the corridor, of great European influence due to the waltz and the tambora, an ideal rhythm to tell the daily event.

Santander, without a doubt, is a land of festivities and folklore so in the year the Suárez River Festival is celebrated in Barbosa, the Cordiality and Return Festivals in Zapatoca, the Santandereanidad Day,  Bonita Fair, Livestock Fair,Tiple and Sandwich Festival,  Stone Carving Festival in Barichara,  String Music Festival and Music Contest "Guane de Oro".

Finally, the department of Santander is the representation of courageous and strong people. It is also the land that thanks to its geographical location and the customs of its ancestors have a rich gastronomy and great art. It is also a  territory full of unique natural landscapes and a culture with a great legacy that resists being lost.

Credit: Medhi3330// Shutterstock

Caption: The name Barichara comes from the Guane dialect and means place forest.