Learn how Colombia is shaped by beautiful human connection. cultural resilience, community power, & ancestral knowledge. Ocean Malandra takes us deep into Colombia as he shares how an intended journey through South America turned into a life-changing relationship with the country that has lasted for more than 17 years. He reflects on growing up around Oakland hip-hop, discovering the cultural roots connecting Colombia to the African diaspora, and learning from communities using art, music, collective land ownership, and community-led tourism to preserve their heritage and shape their future. Ocean also discusses Colombia’s extraordinary biodiversity, environmental conservation, the legacy of political violence, responsible travel, overtourism and gentrification—and offers insights for experiencing the country in ways that more directly benefit the people who call it home.
Falling in Love with Colombia: Ocean Malandra on Cali’s Salsa Culture, Bogotá Graffiti, Indigenous Land Defenders & the Afro-Colombian Pacific (Ep 410)
Episode Summary
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About the Guest

Ocean Malandra
Ocean Malandra is a widely published freelance travel writer and environmental journalist who divides his time between Northern California and South America, having lived in Colombia on and off since 2009. His work has appeared in over 30 different media outlets, and he is the author of the latest Moon Colombia Travel Guide.
What You'll Learn
- How salsa, hip-hop, and graffiti reveal Colombia’s history, identity, and extraordinary cultural diversity.
- What travelers can learn from Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities about ancestral knowledge, conservation, collective land ownership, and community-led tourism.
- How to experience Colombia more responsibly while navigating overtourism, gentrification, sustainability, and the complex impacts tourism can have on local communities.
Links From the Episode
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CONTACT AND FOLLOW OCEAN
LOCAL TOURS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
LOCATIONS WHERE THE INTERVIEW TOOK PLACE
- Matt: Asheville, North Carolina
- Ocean: San Francisco (California)
ARTISTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
EVENT MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
LEARNING INSTITUTIONS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Roosevelt Middle School
- University of Copenhagen
- Universidad Javeriana (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana)
MOVEMENT MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
PLACES IN CALIFORNIA MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
PLACES IN COLOMBIA MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Bogota
- Buenaventura
- Cali
- Caquetá
- Cartagena
- Casa Kolacho
- Communa 13
- Barrio Getsemaní
- Juanchito
- La Barra
- La Candelaria
- Medellin
- Parque Arví
- Putumayo
- Barrio San Antonio
OTHER PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
OTHER PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Time Stamped Show Notes
**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.
[1:00] Introducing Ocean Malandra
[2:12] Growing up with Beatnik Parents
[4:17] Hip-Hop Culture in the Early 90s Bay Area
[ 5:48] Developing his Interest in Other Cultures
[6:52] Starting to Travel Internationally
[7:37] First Trip to South America in 2009
[8:37] Falling in Love with Cali, Colombia
[17:55] Afro-Colombian Culture on the Pacific Coast
[23:26] Indigenous Communities on the Pacific Coast
[ 25:02] The Colombian Amazon
[27:23] Learning from Indigenous Communities in Colombia
[31:23] Bogota
[34:00] Hip-Hop and Graffiti Culture in Bogota
[37:20] Hip-Hop and Graffiti in Communa 13 in Medellin
[40:44] Tourism as a Double Edged Sword
[46:15] Contact and Follow Ocean