Colombian British
Encyclopedia
Colombians in the United Kingdom include British citizens
or residents who are of Colombia
n ancestry. The Colombian-born population was 12,331 according to the 2001 UK Census, although unofficial estimates now place the total number of people of Colombian ancestry at between 90,000 and 160,000. Colombians constitute the UK's second largest Latin American
group, and on a global scale the community ranks as the world's fourth largest overseas Colombian population.
. The first migrants consisted of Chile
an and Argentine
refugees, these were followed by Colombians and many other Latin American groups in the early 1970s
. Many Colombians came to work in the UK on visas mainly in the domestic services and catering
industries, however as many visas began to run out, many Colombians remained illegally in the UK, by the early 1990s
some 80,000 Latin Americans were residing in London, with the majority being Colombian. Colombians in the UK tend to originate from the country's urban areas such as Bogota
, Cali
, Medellin
and Palmira
, although some come from the smaller towns and countryside. There are roughly three stages of Colombian migration to the UK, between 1975 and 1979 many came under the work permit system to take up jobs in low pay domestic services predominantly. Between 1980 and 1986 many relatives and families of the early settlers came to the UK, many of them soon became illegal immigrants due to themselves overstaying their visas. Another stage where significant numbers of asylum seekers came to the UK was between 1986 and 1997 when thousands came to the UK due to guerrilla and paramilitary
violence in Colombia. This is the period where the largest number of Colombians came to the UK, although significant numbers are still migrating today as the Colombian British population expands into its second generation. Historically, the United Kingdom has, in fact, proven the most popular European destination for Colombian migrants despite the lack of historical links that are evident with Spain
. Spain alongside several other European nations has formerly been dubbed a "reservoir of migrant labour". However since the turn of the millennium, Spain has become a key destination within Europe for Colombian migrants and is now home to the largest Colombian community in the continent, followed by that of the United Kingdom.
recorded 12,331 Colombian-born people living in the UK. The Office for National Statistics
estimates that in 2009, 22,000 Colombian-born people were residing in the UK. According to one estimate, Colombians now make up the second largest sub-group of Latin American Britons behind Brazilian Britons, numbering up to 160,000. An article published by the Migration Policy Institute
estimates the Colombian population in the UK to be 90,000 as of 2003. The overwhelming majority of Colombians in the UK live in London
, although within the capital they are fairly well dispersed. Despite this, the largest numbers can be found in the boroughs of Lambeth
, Islington
, Southwark
and Camden
. Outside of London, concentrations of Colombians can also be found in the Northern English
cities of Sunderland
, Leeds
and Newcastle
.
from Colombians in the UK started to rise in 1996, peaked in 1997 and has been falling since then (with the exception of 1999 which saw a sharp increase). The sudden rise in asylum applications between 1996 and 1997 could have been linked to paramilitary and guerrilla violence in Colombia. Also the sharp drop in applications in 1998 could be associated with the introduction of visa restrictions. After the increase in 1999, the start of the 21st century has seen a more or less stable number of applications by Colombians for asylum. The table below is a breakdown for applications received for asylum in the UK between 1993 and 2002.
Region wise, the regions with the most Colombian asylum seekers on support in 2001 were London
, North East England
and North West England
respectively.
. This is due to the United States
having a much larger Colombian community, as well as stronger links between the two countries. The few Colombian events that occur across the country are music festivals (usually in the summer
). Many popular Colombian artists and musicians come to the UK to play in these festivals. The British capital, London is home to several Colombian clubs, restaurant
s and cafe
s as well as many shops and independent businesses, there is also a significant presence of Colombian media in the UK, consisting mainly of a few newspapers and radio stations. A similarity between Colombia and the United Kingdom is that football is an extremely popular sport in both countries; this easily helps link communities and today many Colombians play in the Latin American leagues of London as well as for local teams. Despite this, some of these activities are seen more as entrepreneurial than cultural activities. Besides Colombian football and music in the UK, the other aspect that contributes to the culture of Colombians in the UK is food. Sancocho
is a traditional Colombian dish that has become popular in mainstream London and to an extent British culture. Colombian students who are studying in the UK often organise events that mainly involve debates and conferences about the situation back home in their native Colombia.
Many new Colombian immigrants including asylum seekers and refugees in the UK find finding work extremely difficult, it has become increasingly complicated over time to gain visas and working permits in the UK and there is also the likely chance of a claim for asylum being denied. Despite this, there are hundreds if not thousands of new Colombian immigrants to the UK per annum, with the vast majority of these having little knowledge of the English language
at all. This makes it hard to gain access to public services and ultimately more complicated to get a job, language skills are extremely important, and if Spanish
is the only language spoken by and individual, they are bound to be beaten to the post by a fluent or more conversational English speaker. As stated earlier many new immigrants work in minimum wage jobs such as in domestic service and catering
industries. Lack of English skills is also a negative aspect for Colombians in the UK outside of the world of work, for example it may be hard to gain required information from local councils as well as legal advice. As a response to this many new Latin American set up groups have been founded in London to help Colombians and other Hispanics to improve their language skills and/or find work. According to Institute for Public Policy Research
findings, 49.96 per cent of new Colombian immigrants in Great Britain
are employed, compared to 66.48 per cent of settled Colombian immigrants.
(the UK is one of the largest buyers of Colombian cocaine, millions of hectares of rainforest are being destroyed each year in Colombia to supply drug users in countries such as the UK. Drug mules are also a problem, with many Colombians risking their lives by transporting drugs inside of them to get in to the UK). This is the largest number of foreign nationals in British prisons originating anywhere in the Americas, although in comparison to the number of certain foreign nationals from Europe, Asia, Africa and elsewhere it is fairly small. As the Colombian British population grows larger, so do the problems within the community, it is believed that the differences within the community are now more visible and unity is less evident. Many of these differences mirror situations in Colombia where differences in social class, political views and immigration status all contribute to an ever fragmenting community. The most obvious difference seems to be between those who immigrated between 1970 and the early 1990s when political persecution was more evident, whilst more recent immigrants (particularly asylum seekers) have had greater difficulty in proving their status as political refugees, partly down to the current complicated situation in Colombia. Out of a survey of several Colombians in London, the majority stated their frustration with the overall Colombian British community when it comes to organising cultural events, since attendance can often be very poor. The perception is that settled Colombian Brits are too busy working and to an extent loose their political awareness and interests of Colombian culture in the UK and at home in Colombia.
is a Cali born professional wrestler who has made a new life and career for himself in the UK, Phil Manzanera
a musician and record producer who was the lead guitarist with Roxy Music
was born in London to a Colombian mother and English father.. Luis Lopez, a young model currently residing in Chigwell. Colombian American
journalist, Sonia Uribe
studied in and now lives in London. José Fernández Madrid
was a former ambassador to the UK for Colombia who lived in the UK for a number of years where he subsequently died. Another notable expatriate in the UK of Colombian origin is Australian actor Adam Garcia
who has found fame in many US and British films. Also Colombian born Carolina Herrera holds a surgical post in London, where she resides although she is more famed for her music. In 2010 Miss Great Britain winner Tara Hoyos-Martinez of Colombian parentage became the first Latina to represent the country in the global Miss Universe
pageant.
British nationality law
British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom that concerns citizenship and other categories of British nationality. The law is complex because of the United Kingdom's former status as an imperial power.-History:...
or residents who are of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n ancestry. The Colombian-born population was 12,331 according to the 2001 UK Census, although unofficial estimates now place the total number of people of Colombian ancestry at between 90,000 and 160,000. Colombians constitute the UK's second largest Latin American
Latin Americans in the United Kingdom
Latin American migration to the United Kingdom is a phenomenon dating back to the early 19th century. However, up until the 1970s, when political and civil unrest became rife in many Latin American countries, the United Kingdom's Latin American community wasn't particularly large...
group, and on a global scale the community ranks as the world's fourth largest overseas Colombian population.
History
Latin American migration to Europe has been growing rapidly since the mid-1960s1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
. The first migrants consisted of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an and Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
refugees, these were followed by Colombians and many other Latin American groups in the early 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
. Many Colombians came to work in the UK on visas mainly in the domestic services and catering
Catering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
industries, however as many visas began to run out, many Colombians remained illegally in the UK, by the early 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
some 80,000 Latin Americans were residing in London, with the majority being Colombian. Colombians in the UK tend to originate from the country's urban areas such as Bogota
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
, Medellin
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
and Palmira
Palmira
Palmira is a city and municipality in southwestern Colombia in the department of Valle del Cauca, located about east from Cali, the department's capital and main city.-Geography :...
, although some come from the smaller towns and countryside. There are roughly three stages of Colombian migration to the UK, between 1975 and 1979 many came under the work permit system to take up jobs in low pay domestic services predominantly. Between 1980 and 1986 many relatives and families of the early settlers came to the UK, many of them soon became illegal immigrants due to themselves overstaying their visas. Another stage where significant numbers of asylum seekers came to the UK was between 1986 and 1997 when thousands came to the UK due to guerrilla and paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
violence in Colombia. This is the period where the largest number of Colombians came to the UK, although significant numbers are still migrating today as the Colombian British population expands into its second generation. Historically, the United Kingdom has, in fact, proven the most popular European destination for Colombian migrants despite the lack of historical links that are evident with Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Spain alongside several other European nations has formerly been dubbed a "reservoir of migrant labour". However since the turn of the millennium, Spain has become a key destination within Europe for Colombian migrants and is now home to the largest Colombian community in the continent, followed by that of the United Kingdom.
Population
The 2001 CensusUnited Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
recorded 12,331 Colombian-born people living in the UK. The Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
estimates that in 2009, 22,000 Colombian-born people were residing in the UK. According to one estimate, Colombians now make up the second largest sub-group of Latin American Britons behind Brazilian Britons, numbering up to 160,000. An article published by the Migration Policy Institute
Migration Policy Institute
The Migration Policy Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank established in 2001 by Kathleen Newland and Demetrios G. Papademetriou. It is "an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think-tank dedicated to the study of the movement of people worldwide." The Migration policy Institute works...
estimates the Colombian population in the UK to be 90,000 as of 2003. The overwhelming majority of Colombians in the UK live in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, although within the capital they are fairly well dispersed. Despite this, the largest numbers can be found in the boroughs of Lambeth
London Borough of Lambeth
The London Borough of Lambeth is a London borough in south London, England and forms part of Inner London. The local authority is Lambeth London Borough Council.-Origins:...
, Islington
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
, Southwark
London Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...
and Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
. Outside of London, concentrations of Colombians can also be found in the Northern English
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
cities of Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
, Leeds
City of Leeds
The City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Leeds City Council, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. The metropolitan district includes Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell,...
and Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
.
| Year | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 185 | 272 | 296 | 381 | 375 | 945 | 1,000 | 1,290 | 1,500 | 1,580 | 1,845 |
Asylum seekers
Applications for asylumRight of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
from Colombians in the UK started to rise in 1996, peaked in 1997 and has been falling since then (with the exception of 1999 which saw a sharp increase). The sudden rise in asylum applications between 1996 and 1997 could have been linked to paramilitary and guerrilla violence in Colombia. Also the sharp drop in applications in 1998 could be associated with the introduction of visa restrictions. After the increase in 1999, the start of the 21st century has seen a more or less stable number of applications by Colombians for asylum. The table below is a breakdown for applications received for asylum in the UK between 1993 and 2002.
| Year | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of applications | 380 | 405 | 525 | 1,005 | 1,330 | 425 | 1,000 | 505 | 360 | 420 | 220 |
| Number recognised as refugees | 5 | 5 | <5 | 10 | 20 | 150 | 5 | 60 | 40 | 45 | 15 |
| Number granted exceptional leave | 10 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 60 | 5 | 60 | 55 | 20 | 5 |
| Number refused asylum | 80 | 390 | 210 | 365 | 380 | 810 | 155 | 1,755 | 660 | 415 | 315 |
Region wise, the regions with the most Colombian asylum seekers on support in 2001 were London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, North East England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
and North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
respectively.
Community
Culture
Colombian culture and cultural activities in the UK are virtually non-existent compared to places such as New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. This is due to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
having a much larger Colombian community, as well as stronger links between the two countries. The few Colombian events that occur across the country are music festivals (usually in the summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
). Many popular Colombian artists and musicians come to the UK to play in these festivals. The British capital, London is home to several Colombian clubs, restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s and cafe
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
s as well as many shops and independent businesses, there is also a significant presence of Colombian media in the UK, consisting mainly of a few newspapers and radio stations. A similarity between Colombia and the United Kingdom is that football is an extremely popular sport in both countries; this easily helps link communities and today many Colombians play in the Latin American leagues of London as well as for local teams. Despite this, some of these activities are seen more as entrepreneurial than cultural activities. Besides Colombian football and music in the UK, the other aspect that contributes to the culture of Colombians in the UK is food. Sancocho
Sancocho
Sancocho is a traditional soup in several Spanish and Latin American cuisines. Variations represent popular national dishes in the Canary Islands of Spain, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela...
is a traditional Colombian dish that has become popular in mainstream London and to an extent British culture. Colombian students who are studying in the UK often organise events that mainly involve debates and conferences about the situation back home in their native Colombia.
Employment
| Country of birth | New immigrants employed |
Settled immigrants employed |
Average employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | N/A | N/A | 73.49% |
 BrazilBrazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... |
57.38% | 80.70% | 69.04% |
 CanadaCanada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
82.76% | 78.12% | 80.44% |
 ColombiaColombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the... |
49.96% | 66.48% | 58.22% |
 JamaicaJamaica Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic... |
54.41% | 65.21% | 59.81% |
 United StatesUnited States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
68.08% | 76.05% | 72.02% |
Many new Colombian immigrants including asylum seekers and refugees in the UK find finding work extremely difficult, it has become increasingly complicated over time to gain visas and working permits in the UK and there is also the likely chance of a claim for asylum being denied. Despite this, there are hundreds if not thousands of new Colombian immigrants to the UK per annum, with the vast majority of these having little knowledge of the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
at all. This makes it hard to gain access to public services and ultimately more complicated to get a job, language skills are extremely important, and if Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
is the only language spoken by and individual, they are bound to be beaten to the post by a fluent or more conversational English speaker. As stated earlier many new immigrants work in minimum wage jobs such as in domestic service and catering
Catering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
industries. Lack of English skills is also a negative aspect for Colombians in the UK outside of the world of work, for example it may be hard to gain required information from local councils as well as legal advice. As a response to this many new Latin American set up groups have been founded in London to help Colombians and other Hispanics to improve their language skills and/or find work. According to Institute for Public Policy Research
Institute for Public Policy Research
The IPPR is the leading progressive think-tank in the UK. It produces research and policy ideas committed to upholding values of social justice, democratic reform and environmental sustainability. IPPR is based in London and IPPR North has branches in Newcastle and Manchester.It was founded in...
findings, 49.96 per cent of new Colombian immigrants in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
are employed, compared to 66.48 per cent of settled Colombian immigrants.
Housing
Housing is often identified as one of the main problems facing new Colombian immigrants and asylum seekers to the UK. A study of the housing situation of these people carried out in 1995 highlighted the problems of homelessness and poor housing. The situation is worst for single people, but also affects families. No studies have yet been performed to determine the housing trends of settled Colombian immigrants and second generation British born people of Colombian descent.Social issues
Many Colombians come to the UK as asylum seekers, and in certain circumstances it can be hard for them to integrate, especially since the lack of Colombian culture and influence in the UK can be all too obvious. Also worth of note is that fact that in June 2000 there were 118 Colombian nationals imprisoned in the UK (103 male and 15 female), many of these are involved in the infamous Colombian drug tradeIllegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
(the UK is one of the largest buyers of Colombian cocaine, millions of hectares of rainforest are being destroyed each year in Colombia to supply drug users in countries such as the UK. Drug mules are also a problem, with many Colombians risking their lives by transporting drugs inside of them to get in to the UK). This is the largest number of foreign nationals in British prisons originating anywhere in the Americas, although in comparison to the number of certain foreign nationals from Europe, Asia, Africa and elsewhere it is fairly small. As the Colombian British population grows larger, so do the problems within the community, it is believed that the differences within the community are now more visible and unity is less evident. Many of these differences mirror situations in Colombia where differences in social class, political views and immigration status all contribute to an ever fragmenting community. The most obvious difference seems to be between those who immigrated between 1970 and the early 1990s when political persecution was more evident, whilst more recent immigrants (particularly asylum seekers) have had greater difficulty in proving their status as political refugees, partly down to the current complicated situation in Colombia. Out of a survey of several Colombians in London, the majority stated their frustration with the overall Colombian British community when it comes to organising cultural events, since attendance can often be very poor. The perception is that settled Colombian Brits are too busy working and to an extent loose their political awareness and interests of Colombian culture in the UK and at home in Colombia.
Notable individuals
Several Colombian immigrants to the UK as well as British born people of Colombian descent have gained notable success, some examples are listed here. Jorge CastanoJorge Castano
Jorge Castaño is a Colombian professional wrestler who works for many promotions on the United Kingdom independent circuit.-Early life:Jorge Castaño was born in the Cali, Colombia and gained an interest in wrestling at a very early age. Once Jorge reached ten years of age, he and his family moved...
is a Cali born professional wrestler who has made a new life and career for himself in the UK, Phil Manzanera
Phil Manzanera
Phil Manzanera is a musician and record producer. He is the lead guitarist with Roxy Music. In 2006 Manzanera co-produced David Gilmour's album On An Island and played in Gilmour's band for tours in Europe and North America...
a musician and record producer who was the lead guitarist with Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
was born in London to a Colombian mother and English father.. Luis Lopez, a young model currently residing in Chigwell. Colombian American
Colombian American
Colombian Americans are citizens of the United States who trace their nationality or heritage from the South American nation of Colombia. They are the largest South American ethnic group in the United States.-Causes of migration:...
journalist, Sonia Uribe
Sonia Uribe
Sonia Uribe is a Colombian American journalist, television personality, model, and voice-over artist.Uribe was born in Bogotá, Colombia. She grew up in Texas and now calls London home. Uribe has been romantically linked to several celebrities including illusionist David Copperfield...
studied in and now lives in London. José Fernández Madrid
José Fernández Madrid
José Luis Álvaro Alvino Fernández Madrid was a Neogranadine statesman, physician, scientist and writer, who was President of the interim triumvirate of the United Provinces of New Granada in 1814, and President of the United Provinces of the New Granada in 1816...
was a former ambassador to the UK for Colombia who lived in the UK for a number of years where he subsequently died. Another notable expatriate in the UK of Colombian origin is Australian actor Adam Garcia
Adam Garcia
Adam Garcia is an Australian actor and tap dancer of partial Colombian descent .-Career:...
who has found fame in many US and British films. Also Colombian born Carolina Herrera holds a surgical post in London, where she resides although she is more famed for her music. In 2010 Miss Great Britain winner Tara Hoyos-Martinez of Colombian parentage became the first Latina to represent the country in the global Miss Universe
Miss Universe 2010
Miss Universe 2010, the 59th edition of the pageant, was held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. on August 23, 2010. It was hosted by Bret Michaels and Natalie Morales...
pageant.
See also
- Latin American Briton
- Colombian peopleColombian peopleColombian people are from a multiethnic Spanish speaking nation in South America called Colombia. Colombians are predominantly Roman Catholic and are a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...
- Colombian diasporaColombian diasporaColombian diaspora refers to the mass movement of Colombian people who have emigrated from the country in search of safety and/or a better quality of life. Many of those who moved were educated middle and upper middle-class Colombians; because of this, the Colombian diaspora can be referred to as a...
- Culture of ColombiaCulture of ColombiaMany aspects of Colombian culture can be traced back to the early culture of Spain of the 16th century and its collision with Colombia's native civilizations . The Spanish brought Catholicism, African slaves, the feudal encomienda system, and a caste system that favored European-born whites...
- Colombia–United Kingdom relations