A Story of Resistance and Renewal: The Palmarito Afro-Descendant Commune (Part I)

A story of resistance and renewal: The Palmarito Afro-Descendant Commune (Part I)

Afro-Venezuelans discuss syncretism, anti-colonial resistance, and community organization on the southern shore of Lake Maracaibo.

A Story of Resistance and Renewal: The Palmarito Afro-Descendant Commune (Part I) - Venezuelanalysis

On the southern shore of Lake Maracaibo, Palmarito is an Afro-Venezuelan community shaped by centuries of history, culture, and resilience. Its people carry forward traditions rooted in their African heritage and in the fishing trade. Central to Palmarito’s way of life is the socialist commune, a form of popular self-government that transforms everyday life and work into a shared project. The town forms part of the “pueblos santos,” a cluster of…