2. Colombian Literature During the rule of the Spanish empire, the main topic for literature was religion. Some well known authors for this period are: Juan de Castellanos, who wrote the longest poem in Spanish, Elegías de VaronesIlustres de Indias. Juan Rodriguez Freyle, was wrote about colonial life, El Carnero. Then there was Francisca Josefa del Castillo, who was the most important female authors of mysticism and wrote Tunjan nun. After their independence the main theme for literature was romanticism, which was strongly influenced by political motivations. SimónBolívar and Antonio Nariño were the leaders in political literature and initiated journalism. Other authors of this time were Camilo Torres, Francisco Antonio Zea, and José FernándezMadrid. Then in the late 19th century and early 20th century literature was centered around pheasant life and a strong “criticism of society and government. This was known as costumbristaliterature. After the early 20th century it reaches modernism and in the 1940s and 1950s this period becomes the nothing-ist movement. This was inspired by the violence during this time.
3. Architecture Despite all the different inhabitants of Columbia architecture was European inspired. The buildings are traditionally Spanish, but once they broke their connection they started looking at England and France for “new models.” This era became the Republican Architecture era, that lasted through to just before World War II. For most Colombians in the 1940s, they lived in single family homes made of cinder blocks, clay, cow manure, and hay.
4. Dance & Music Bambuco, Vallenato and Porro were very influential styles of dance in Colombia. When the waltz became popular, Colombians came up with their own version, Pasillo. Colombians adopted the new form of music after the Puerto Ricans, called salsa. “Native salsa groups like FrukoysusTesos and Discos Fuentes emerged.” New artists such as Joe Arroyo, invented a distinct form of Colombian salsa. Along with their own form of salsa music, Colombians had their own distinct way of dancing salsa. Large communities with African descendents were common for folk music, reggae, and Jamaican raggamuffin music. Of course depending on which community you are in would depend they type of common music.
