Active Research

The resistance of Kolombian cultural expression within the Independencia neighborhood in Monterrey after the 2010 security crisis

During the 1980s, a countercultural movement that emerged because of mass migration from Colombians to Monterrey, Nuevo León, flourished in one of its most marginalized neighborhoods: La Independencia. This subculture called itself “Kolombia” for its love for cumbia, a traditional Latin-American musical rhythm.

When the Mexican government declared the war against drug trafficking in 2006, Kolombian culture was at its peak. Within this context, young lower-class people who weren’t cartel members were embroiled in warfare of violence because of their socioeconomic circumstances and looks alone. Consequently, Kolombian culture began to gradually disappear due to the fear of being associated with gang members of criminal groups. Thus, through this research, we seek to explore how the Mexican security crisis impacted the cultural expression of Kolombians within Monterrey´s “La Independencia” neighborhood.