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Colombia – Two Sisters, the FARC and the Peace Process
A tale of two sisters who grew up apart, their past shaped by the FARC, their future hopes for peace and social justice
Colombia: Stairway Storytellers in Medellín
In Medellin, Billie Melluish-Turner finds a project to replace ghoulish and superficial tourism with something real and sustainable
EXHALE AND RELEASE: The Story of Colombia’s Diaspora Women
Five years ago Diaspora Woman was founded under the name Truth, Memory and Reconciliation Commission of Colombian Women in the Diaspora. The idea was to bring together Colombian women, from all political and social backgrounds,…
Latin Elephant Cuisine - London's unlikely Tourist Destination
"So many people living in this wider area had no idea that this world existed – they felt like they were tourists in their own city." We talk to Doreta Linakis, founder of Elephant and Castle's successful Colombian…
LATIN LONDONER #23 Mike Kalle - Urban Latin Artist
Born in London to Colombian parents, Mike Kalle is the leading light of the young, creative Latino community. Referred to as the godfather of UK Latin Hip Hop, Mike won a LUKAS two years running as Urban Latin Act of the Year.…
Maluma
Recently making he big London splash at London's SSE Wembley arena, Maluma has joined an elite band of Latin artists such as Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, who can fill London arenas. He is the…
Creating Colombia’s Tennis Legacy
So you thought Latin American tennis players only came from Argentina? Think again. Enter Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah, last year's doubles Wimbledon and US Open champions, the world’s #1 doubles pair. Amaranta…
Composing History
There are few bands in the world that can claim a life at the top for almost 40 years: the Rolling Stones, Cuba’s Van Van, Venezuela’s Guaco. And Grupo Niche is another one of them - a household name in Colombia and among Salsa…
Carlos Vives’ Fantasy Island Tracks
If you were stranded on a desert island, which tracks would you absolutely need, to get you through those times of despair? Man cannot live on sun and fish alone right? Our castaway, Carlos Vives, one of the most emblematic…
Chocolate, Politics and Peace-Building
An Ethnography of the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó, Colombia by Gwen Burnyeat
Paisa Prince
Since the last time we talked to J Balvin (cover of 2016 autumn edition), the Medellin born artist has soared to new heights and become one of a handful of urban Latin artists who have conquered the world. Hits such as 'Mi…
J Balvin's Fantasy Island Tracks
If you were stranded on a desert island, which tracks would you absolutely need, to get you through those times of despair? Man cannot live on sun and fish alone right? Our castaway, J Balvin, one of Latin America’s hottest urban…
Colombia/Venezuela: How Petrol is Fuelling Instability on the Border
The smuggling of petrol and other products from Venezuela is part of daily life in Cúcuta
COLOMBIA: Bogotá’s Recyclers Fight for Inclusion
As the city rises up the development index, Bogotá’s waste services are undergoing structural transformation. Rachel Simon learns how Colombia’s informal waste-picking recicladores are organizing and fighting to play their part…
Latin Pop's Feminine Side
Bomba Estéreo has paid its ‘derecho de piso’ and proved that it’s not just another ‘alternative’ Latin band adding funk beats to folklore. With a 20 year trajectory writing and producing innovative songs, founder and bassist of…
Ground Control to Major Juan
Elizabeth Mistry hears how the Colombian super-bard has put aside his Camisa Negra for a spaceman's helmet.
Ana Victoria's Story - Part 4: A Life of Purpose
Ana Victoria is an Afro-Colombian biologist and the first female Colombian Anglican priest. After being kidnapped by armed traffickers while she was working with indigenous communities in the Choco region, she subsequently fled…
Ana Victoria's Story - Part 3: The Search for Kio
Ana Victoria is an Afro-Colombian biologist who will be ordained as the first female Colombian priest of the Anglican church in July 2017 in St Paul Cathedral. After being kidnapped by armed traffickers while she was working with…
Ana Victoria's Story - Part 2: Helena
Ana Victoria is an Afro-Colombian biologist who was ordained as the first female Colombian priest of the Anglican church in July 2017 in St Paul Cathedral. After being kidnapped by armed traffickers while she was working with…
Colombians’ Persistence in the Search for Peace: Interview with ‘Chocolate of Peace’ Producer
Gwen Burnyeat, the producer and co-director of the documentary Chocolate of Peace talks about the ‘persistence’ in peace-building, considering that Colombia is now both implementing the peace agreement with FARC and starting…
Ana Victoria's Story - Part 1: In Exile
Ana Victoria is an Afro-Colombian biologist who was ordained as the first female Colombian priest of the Anglican church in July 2017 in St Paul Cathedral. After being kidnapped by armed traffickers while she was working with…
A Dancer’s Leap from Poverty to Stardom
Fernando Montaño, the Royal Ballet's first ever Colombian soloist, has moved mountains and overcome obstacles to achieve his success as dancer, model and TV personality. He talked to Latinolife
Colombia: What does Peace Mean in Comuna 13?
Gwen Burnyeat visits Comuna 13, the Medellín community blighted by guerrilla, militia and state violence during Colombia's civil war and finds that graffiti and urban escalators have achieved a sense of pride and…
Mother Earth
At a time when Shakira, Carlos Vives, J Balvin and Maluma are some of the hottest artists in the planet, it is easy to forget that it was an indigenous folklore singer who kicked the global door open for Colombian artists. Totó…
Latin Londoner #20 ..Emeris Solis - Percussionist
Emeris is one of Europe’s best Latin percussionists and the epitome of the Latin immigrant who has earned success in London through his craft. Chilled, good humored, and professional, he is a master in Colombian folklore,…
All Hail the Vinyl Collectors!
Salsotecas are the mythical vinyl-sharing encounters that began in Cali, Colombia. We explore the legendary phenomenon that helped give the city its reputation as home to the world’s most passionate Salsa lovers.
THE OUTSIDER
Few people thought that Reggaetón - the famous “Dembow” beat with the Latino twist that exploded 15 years ago – would stand the test of time. Yet today almost every big artist, from Shakira and Enrique Iglesias to Drake, Sia and…
Latin Londoner #18: Gloria Lizcano - LGBT community leader
Celebrating 20 years of her legendary Latino LGBT Club night Exilio this Friday, Gloria Lizcano has been the pioneer and main activist for the Latin LGBT community in London.
In Praise of The Bandeja Paisa
Latinolife’s Latina Cook basks in the glory of a full Colombian Breakfast
Chasing Butterflies
Victoria Kellaway visits the birthplace of Gabriel García Márquez, Nobel Prize winner, pioneer of Magical Realism and Colombia’s most famous writer.
TOP 10 DISCOS FUENTES VINYLS
When it comes to Colombian Music, Discos Fuentes is the daddy. Since 1934 this seminal label has been home to some of Colombia’s biggest commercial artists, yet it was never afraid of the experimental and the weird. When it came…
Things we love about...Colombia
Colombia is a country bursting at the seams with extraordinary natural beauty, vibrant music, fantastic food, white (and black!) sand beaches, world-class diving, and endlessly friendly courteous people. Now, it even has a Peace…
The Blue Line to Cali
Mirca Moreira revels in the short London journey that quenches her craving for a little piece of Colombia.
The Accidental Hero
Once a struggling rock star in Bogotá, Carlos Vives became a national symbol almost overnight by fusing Colombia’s traditional vallenato rythmns with modern rock and pop. As if to represent the unity of a country in conflict, the…
The UK's Top Colombian Creatives
The contribution of Colombian immigration to UK culture is impossible to ignore. As far back as 1975, Guardian writer Richard Williams described the Monday night when salsa king Héctor Lavoe took to the stage in a grotty London…
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Music
APRIL REGGAETON RECAP
Latin women are dominating the documentary industry in the past four weeks. Whether it was Anitta…
Film & Theatre
'HAMLET' by Peruvian company Teatro La Plaza, at The Barbican…
This captivating piece of theatre is Hamlet as we have never seen it before, in a fresh perspective…
Film & Theatre
UNDERCOVER (2024) by Basque director Arantxa Echevarría was at the London…
Based on real events, ‘Undercover’ (La Infiltrada) tells the story of young police officer Arantxa…
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Since the days when Mexico was a serious rival to Hollywood in terms of film production and quality…
