IN a move aimed at helping Afro-Colombians reconnect with their roots, Vice President Francia Marquez has announced that Swahili will be taught as a foreign language option in Colombian schools. However, this decision has caused an outcry among her opponents on the right.
Marquez made the announcement upon her return from an official visit to Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa, where an accord was signed to facilitate language exchange. Colombian teachers will have the opportunity to travel to Africa to teach Spanish, while teachers from African countries, particularly Kenya, will teach Swahili in Colombian state schools.
According to Marquez, Swahili will be offered not only to Colombians of African origin but to anyone interested in learning the language. She emphasised the importance of this initiative for reconnecting with roots and rebuilding historical memory.
While the announcement aimed to highlight the inclusion of Afro-Colombians, it faced strong criticism from Marquez’s right-wing opponents, overshadowing other agreements reached during her trip. Pascal Drouhaud, a researcher and author on Latin America, described the decision as highly political, reflecting the social vision of Marquez’s government for Colombia.
Marquez has long advocated for multiculturalism and the inclusion of Colombia’s Black and indigenous populations, drawing relentless attacks on social media, some of which are racist. As Colombia’s first black female vice president, her progressive agenda challenges the traditional political apparatus in the country.
The choice of Swahili as the language to be taught has also sparked debates. Critics questioned why English was not chosen, suggesting it would be a better investment. Others argued that most of the slaves who reached Colombia came from Western Africa, where Swahili is not widely spoken.
Drouhaud defended the decision, stating that Marquez chose Swahili because it is the third most spoken language in Africa, with more than 200 million speakers. Marquez’s African tour aimed to strengthen ‘South-South cooperation,’ aligning with the government’s broader vision for Colombia, which focuses on peace, social issues, and dialogue with former guerrilla groups and narco-militias.
While Marquez faces resistance due to her emphasis on social determinism and linking it to skin colour, she remains committed to her vision of a more inclusive and diverse Colombia. As her initiatives continue to unfold, the debate surrounding the introduction of Swahili in Colombian schools is likely to persist.
