Colón Province

Colón Province

Colón is a province of Panama. The capital is the city of Colón. This province has traditionally been focused in commerce (through the Colón Free Zone, Panama Canal and its banking activities), but also has natural resources that are being developed as tourist attraction, such as coral reefs and rainforests. In fact during the Spanish colonial period, the Colon region of Panama was the center of trade, commerce, and overall economy for the Spanish. Spanish brought many black African slaves in this area to work and be enslaved in Panama, and also to ship blacks out to other Spaniard colonies.

Most importantly, the black population of all of Panama is centered in the Province of Colon. Also, Panama has two distinct groups of blacks. The first and earliest blacks were those who came as slaves to Panama as early as the 1400s and eventually from the 1500s until as late as the 1800s. This group of blacks are in fact of Hispanic descent. This group of blacks is known as Cimmarones, Afro Colonials, Nativos, Playeros, Congos. These terms have proven crucial in establishing that these are the first and original blacks of the Republic of Panama. Afro Colonials have held on to their culture and adopted Hispanic customs, traits, and cultures. They took and assumed Spanish names and surnames. They also developed the beginning of Panama's true black population and developed Panama's culture, in pure and in mixed forms. They have also been incorporated into Panamanian and Spanish speaking society, as a result.

Later as early as the 1840s blacks from the Caribbean and West Indies migrated to Panama to assist in the labor efforts to build the Panama Railway and attempts to build the famous Panama Canal. Later many blacks from all over the Caribbean and West Indies, especially from Jamaica and Barbados along with other groups of blacks among others settled here between the years of 1880 and 1920 helping to build the Panama Canal, later arriving and settling in the Colon Province. This blacks group are in fact of Caribbean and/or West Indian is known to the Hispanic community of Panama as Afro Antillanos. They have also assimilated to the Hispanic culture and nature of Panama as well as holding on to aspects of their descent and culture. They have influenced the cuisine and music of Panama. Most importantly, their influence on music, especially from those of Jamaican descent invented and created Reggaeton.

Districts

• Colón District and the capital Colón City. Corregimientos include Barrio Norte, Barrio Sur, Buena Vista, Cativá, Ciricito, Sabanitas, Salamanca, Limión, Nueva Providencia, Puerto Pilión, Cristíóbal, Escobal, San Juan and Santa Rosa.
• Chagres District. Corregimientos include Nuevo Chagres (capital), Achiote, El Guabo, La Encantada, Palmas Bellas, Piña and Salud.
• Donoso District. Corregimientos include Miguel de la Borda (capital), Coclé del Norte, El Guásimo, Gobea, Río Indio and San José del Genera.
• Portobelo District. Corregimientos include Portobelo (capital), Cacique, Garrote, Isla Grande and María Chiquita.
• Santa Isabel District. Corregimientos include Santa Isabel (capital), Palenque, Cuango, Miramar, Nombre de Dios, Palmira, Playa Chiquita and Viento Frío.

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