A smiling boy riding a horse symbolises the resilient nature of a town inland from Cartagena founded by former

A smiling boy riding a horse symbolises the resilient nature of a town inland from Cartagena founded by former slaves in the 17th century

This image of a young bareback rider was taken in the village of Palenque de San Basilio, in Colombia’s Bolívar department.
This image of a young bareback rider was taken in the village of Palenque de San Basilio, in Colombia’s Bolívar department. Founded by freed slaves in the 17th century, it became the first free town in the Americas, following a decree by the Spanish crown. Most of today’s inhabitants are direct descendants of those slaves and have preserved many of their customs, including their own language, Palenquero. The photograph was taken by Sebastián Suki Beláustegui, who runs photography workshops around the world.