Don't lower your guard
By Mauricio Morales
13 Apr 2009
"Don't lower your guard" a tight and loud scream is heard constantly in the gym, where over 20 kids between ages of 5 and 25 practice boxing at the end of the day. Between sweat and a covering heat, you can notice the heart of this town, Palenque. Founded by runaway slaves in 1603 is said to be one of the first free towns in America. Over the years after the foundation this place, they resisted the different forces that came along, Colonial Spanish, Colombian Civil War en 18th century and lately the forces in the actual armed conflict of Colombia.
With a great African tradition in their culture, music and language, their dialect is a mix between Spanish and different African dialects. Their rough looks to the foreigner are probably a way to keep for their own many things of their culture. Even though they speak Spanish they rather speak "lengua palenquera" in front of foreigners.
No more than 250 families live in Palenque, which economy is based, in agriculture, many of the young men migrate to Cartagena, a major citiy in the North Coast of Colombia, where they just find any way for living.
Boxing has always been present in their lives, and for this Colombia had a Welter Junior Championin the 70's, known as "Kid Pambele". Colombian government donated a boxing gym after he won the title. Martin a big man, trains daily little kids with no more reward than hoping to train the next champion, because no more funds for trainers are giving by the government.
In this gym you can see the heart of this proud people, big bodies sculptured in the gym and in the agriculture activities, proud black men and kids gather every day after school, to practice boxing, and with the hope to once again give San Basilio de Palenque its fighting glory.
