Guapi, Cauca
title: "Guapi, Cauca" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["municipalities-of-cauca-department", "road-inaccessible-communities-of-colombia"] topic_path: "general/municipalities-of-cauca-department" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guapi,_Cauca" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Guapi, Cauca |
| settlement_type | Municipality and town |
| image_skyline | Panorámica de Guapí.png |
| image_caption | Panoramic |
| image_flag | Flag of Guapi (Cauca).svg |
| image_seal | Escudo de Guapi - Cauca.svg |
| image_map | Colombia - Cauca - Guapi.svg |
| mapsize | 250px |
| map_caption | Location of the municipality and town of Guapi, Cauca in the Cauca Department of Colombia. |
| pushpin_mapsize | 300 |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location in Colombia |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | Colombia |
| subdivision_type1 | Department |
| subdivision_name1 | Cauca Department |
| population_as_of | Census 2018 |
| population_total | 24037 |
| coordinates | |
| timezone | Colombia Standard Time |
| utc_offset | -5 |
| blank_name | Climate |
| blank_info | Af |
| :: |
|name = Guapi, Cauca |native_name = |nickname = |motto = |settlement_type = Municipality and town |image_skyline = Panorámica de Guapí.png |imagesize = |image_caption = Panoramic |image_flag = Flag of Guapi (Cauca).svg |image_seal = Escudo de Guapi - Cauca.svg |image_map = Colombia - Cauca - Guapi.svg |mapsize = 250px |map_caption = Location of the municipality and town of Guapi, Cauca in the Cauca Department of Colombia. |pushpin_map = |pushpin_mapsize = 300 |pushpin_map_caption = Location in Colombia |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = Colombia |subdivision_type1 = Department |subdivision_name1 = Cauca Department |subdivision_type2 = |population_as_of = Census 2018 |population_total = 24037 |population_density_km2 = |population_density_sq_mi = |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban = |coordinates = |timezone = Colombia Standard Time |utc_offset = -5 |timezone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |elevation_m = |elevation_ft = |blank_name = Climate |blank_info = Af |website =
Guapi is a town and municipality in the Cauca Department, Colombia. The municipality of Guapi is located on the Guapi River, 4 mi from the Pacific Ocean, and also covers the island of Gorgona.
Culture
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Actividades_culturales.jpg" caption="Traditional music being performed in Guapi"] ::
Guapi is a predominantly Afro-Colombian and Catholic area, with a rich local history. Combining both aspects, and most prominent in local tradition, Guapireños have been building balsadas – handcrafted two-tiered boats decorated with native materials – every December, as part of two ceremonies related to Christmas, for many generations. A Guapireño described the tradition as "a cultural manifestation that has been preserved for centuries and that is linked with the black community's history of resistance".
The balsadas traditionally honor the Virgin Mary, the town's patron saint, and are floated down the Guapi River on the nights of both 7 December (Day of the Little Candles) and Christmas Eve. Over three days at the start of December, families in the community build the balsadas, which consist of large canoes, then wooden rafts with two levels constructed on top of the canoes. Local yellow corozo leaves are used for the roof and for decoration, carefully looped into patterns. Other decorations are less natural, including balloons and lights; these are used to make the rafts appear blue and white, the colors of the town's flag. The principal decoration is an image of the Virgin Mary. Afro-Pacific music is performed on the balsadas when they are floated, and occupants often dance; the festivities have expanded to include pyrotechnics as the balsadas approach the town square. Thousands of coconuts set alight meet the balsadas in the river at the square, where the image of the Virgin Mary is carried from the balsadas to the church ahead of the next day's Mass of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Residents identify strongly with the balsadas, which unites them both as a community activity and as a unique traditional activity pertaining to Guapi. In the 21st century, a large tourist balsada was added to the procession, with visitors able to pay to ride on it. This, and the protected heritage status of the balsadas, have been points of contention among the resident population. Some feel that being named cultural heritage and the resulting extra funding would help to protect the tradition, while others worry that the increased awareness will further commercialise it. The associated music was inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2015, with the balsadas highlighted in the listing.
Religion
Guapi is largely Catholic. The Apostolic Vicariate of Guapi is located in Guapi. Cardinal Fernando Filoni has visited at the Vicariate, where in 2016 he called on Colombians to embrace peace among the community and the wider country. At the time, the church (as organised religion) in the town was identified as in development, seeking clergy, with the visit also forming an appeal to local people to become more materially involved with the church.
Climate
Like all of the Pacific Coast of Colombia, Guapi has a hot, oppressively humid, cloudy and very wet tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af). Though it is primarily served by the Guapi River, the Nape River and San Francisco River also run through the area. In November 2015, the Nape and San Francisco rivers significantly flooded Guapi, affecting 1,662 families. People were evacuated to Chuare, three hours upstream, despite this town having suffered a landslide due to the floods.
|metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Guapi (Guapi Airport), elevation 10 m, (1981–2010) |Jan high C = 29.9 |Feb high C = 30.2 |Mar high C = 30.8 |Apr high C = 30.8 |May high C = 30.3 |Jun high C = 29.8 |Jul high C = 29.7 |Aug high C = 29.8 |Sep high C = 29.7 |Oct high C = 29.7 |Nov high C = 29.4 |Dec high C = 29.5 | year high C = 30.0 |Jan mean C = 25.9 |Feb mean C = 26.2 |Mar mean C = 26.4 |Apr mean C = 26.5 |May mean C = 26.4 |Jun mean C = 25.9 |Jul mean C = 25.9 |Aug mean C = 26.0 |Sep mean C = 25.8 |Oct mean C = 25.8 |Nov mean C = 25.6 |Dec mean C = 25.6 | year mean C = 26.0 |Jan low C = 22.1 |Feb low C = 22.5 |Mar low C = 22.6 |Apr low C = 22.8 |May low C = 22.7 |Jun low C = 22.2 |Jul low C = 22.1 |Aug low C = 21.4 |Sep low C = 21.7 |Oct low C = 22.1 |Nov low C = 22.7 |Dec low C = 22.6 | year low C = 22.2 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 366.4 |Feb precipitation mm = 343.4 |Mar precipitation mm = 311.3 |Apr precipitation mm = 420.2 |May precipitation mm = 541.1 |Jun precipitation mm = 493.1 |Jul precipitation mm = 418.6 |Aug precipitation mm = 395.8 |Sep precipitation mm = 363.1 |Oct precipitation mm = 378.9 |Nov precipitation mm = 340.2 |Dec precipitation mm = 355.8 |year precipitation mm = 4653.6 | Jan precipitation days = 19 | Feb precipitation days = 17 | Mar precipitation days = 18 | Apr precipitation days = 20 | May precipitation days = 21 | Jun precipitation days = 23 | Jul precipitation days = 21 | Aug precipitation days = 20 | Sep precipitation days = 21 | Oct precipitation days = 21 | Nov precipitation days = 20 | Dec precipitation days = 22 | year precipitation days = 235 | Jan humidity = 89 | Feb humidity = 88 | Mar humidity = 88 | Apr humidity = 88 | May humidity = 89 | Jun humidity = 89 | Jul humidity = 89 | Aug humidity = 88 | Sep humidity = 89 | Oct humidity = 88 | Nov humidity = 89 | Dec humidity = 90 | year humidity = 89 |Jan sun = 86.8 |Feb sun = 90.3 |Mar sun = 108.5 |Apr sun = 117.0 |May sun = 89.9 |Jun sun = 72.0 |Jul sun = 86.8 |Aug sun = 96.1 |Sep sun = 78.0 |Oct sun = 80.6 |Nov sun = 66.0 |Dec sun = 74.4 |year sun = |Jand sun = 2.8 |Febd sun = 3.2 |Mard sun = 3.5 |Aprd sun = 3.9 |Mayd sun = 2.9 |Jund sun = 2.4 |Juld sun = 2.8 |Augd sun = 3.1 |Sepd sun = 2.6 |Octd sun = 2.6 |Novd sun = 2.2 |Decd sun = 2.4 |yeard sun = |source 1 = Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales{{cite web |url=http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios+Climatol%C3%B3gicos++1981+-+2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815025712/http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios%2BClimatol%C3%B3gicos%2B%2B1981%2B-%2B2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128 |archive-date=15 August 2016 |title=Promedios Climatológicos 1981–2010 |publisher=Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales |language=es |access-date= 17 June 2024 |url-status=dead}}
|metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Guapi (Bonanza), elevation 10 m, (1981–2010) |Jan high C = 29.6 |Feb high C = 30.0 |Mar high C = 30.4 |Apr high C = 30.4 |May high C = 29.9 |Jun high C = 29.6 |Jul high C = 29.7 |Aug high C = 29.8 |Sep high C = 29.4 |Oct high C = 29.4 |Nov high C = 29.4 |Dec high C = 29.4 | year high C = 29.8 |Jan mean C = 25.7 |Feb mean C = 26.0 |Mar mean C = 26.2 |Apr mean C = 26.3 |May mean C = 26.1 |Jun mean C = 26.0 |Jul mean C = 26.0 |Aug mean C = 26.1 |Sep mean C = 25.8 |Oct mean C = 25.8 |Nov mean C = 25.7 |Dec mean C = 25.7 | year mean C = 26.0 |Jan low C = 22.3 |Feb low C = 22.4 |Mar low C = 22.7 |Apr low C = 23.0 |May low C = 23.1 |Jun low C = 23.0 |Jul low C = 22.8 |Aug low C = 22.8 |Sep low C = 22.7 |Oct low C = 22.8 |Nov low C = 22.8 |Dec low C = 22.7 | year low C = 22.8 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 400.8 |Feb precipitation mm = 324.6 |Mar precipitation mm = 322.8 |Apr precipitation mm = 436.3 |May precipitation mm = 613.9 |Jun precipitation mm = 505.2 |Jul precipitation mm = 400.9 |Aug precipitation mm = 350.4 |Sep precipitation mm = 431.3 |Oct precipitation mm = 422.1 |Nov precipitation mm = 345.6 |Dec precipitation mm = 377.6 |year precipitation mm = 4917.9 | Jan precipitation days = 22 | Feb precipitation days = 19 | Mar precipitation days = 19 | Apr precipitation days = 22 | May precipitation days = 24 | Jun precipitation days = 24 | Jul precipitation days = 23 | Aug precipitation days = 21 | Sep precipitation days = 23 | Oct precipitation days = 24 | Nov precipitation days = 21 | Dec precipitation days = 23 | year precipitation days = 262 | Jan humidity = 94 | Feb humidity = 93 | Mar humidity = 93 | Apr humidity = 92 | May humidity = 93 | Jun humidity = 93 | Jul humidity = 94 | Aug humidity = 93 | Sep humidity = 93 | Oct humidity = 93 | Nov humidity = 93 | Dec humidity = 94 | year humidity = 93 |Jan sun = 77.5 |Feb sun = 79.0 |Mar sun = 99.2 |Apr sun = 96.0 |May sun = 89.9 |Jun sun = 78.0 |Jul sun = 89.9 |Aug sun = 89.9 |Sep sun = 69.0 |Oct sun = 71.3 |Nov sun = 69.0 |Dec sun = 80.6 |year sun = |Jand sun = 2.5 |Febd sun = 2.8 |Mard sun = 3.2 |Aprd sun = 3.2 |Mayd sun = 2.9 |Jund sun = 2.6 |Juld sun = 2.9 |Augd sun = 2.9 |Sepd sun = 2.3 |Octd sun = 2.3 |Novd sun = 2.3 |Decd sun = 2.6 |yeard sun = |source 1 = Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales{{cite web |url=http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios+Climatol%C3%B3gicos++1981+-+2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815025712/http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios%2BClimatol%C3%B3gicos%2B%2B1981%2B-%2B2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128 |archive-date=15 August 2016 |title=Promedios Climatológicos 1981–2010 |publisher=Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales |language=es |access-date= 17 June 2024 |url-status=dead}}
|metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Guapi (Gorgona), elevation 10 m, (1981–2010) |Jan high C = 29.1 |Feb high C = 29.5 |Mar high C = 29.6 |Apr high C = 29.8 |May high C = 29.5 |Jun high C = 29.0 |Jul high C = 29.0 |Aug high C = 29.1 |Sep high C = 28.9 |Oct high C = 28.8 |Nov high C = 28.5 |Dec high C = 28.5 | year high C = 29.1 |Jan mean C = 26.0 |Feb mean C = 26.3 |Mar mean C = 26.3 |Apr mean C = 26.6 |May mean C = 26.5 |Jun mean C = 26.1 |Jul mean C = 26.1 |Aug mean C = 26.1 |Sep mean C = 25.9 |Oct mean C = 25.8 |Nov mean C = 25.8 |Dec mean C = 25.8 | year mean C = 26.1 |Jan low C = 23.5 |Feb low C = 23.4 |Mar low C = 23.2 |Apr low C = 23.5 |May low C = 23.7 |Jun low C = 23.3 |Jul low C = 23.4 |Aug low C = 23.3 |Sep low C = 23.4 |Oct low C = 23.5 |Nov low C = 23.6 |Dec low C = 23.5 | year low C = 23.4 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 532.2 |Feb precipitation mm = 316.7 |Mar precipitation mm = 231.7 |Apr precipitation mm = 427.4 |May precipitation mm = 779.5 |Jun precipitation mm = 852.9 |Jul precipitation mm = 732.9 |Aug precipitation mm = 613.0 |Sep precipitation mm = 685.4 |Oct precipitation mm = 720.9 |Nov precipitation mm = 569.0 |Dec precipitation mm = 504.9 |year precipitation mm = 6788.7 | Jan precipitation days = 24 | Feb precipitation days = 18 | Mar precipitation days = 17 | Apr precipitation days = 22 | May precipitation days = 26 | Jun precipitation days = 27 | Jul precipitation days = 26 | Aug precipitation days = 24 | Sep precipitation days = 26 | Oct precipitation days = 25 | Nov precipitation days = 23 | Dec precipitation days = 23 | year precipitation days = 272 | Jan humidity = 90 | Feb humidity = 89 | Mar humidity = 89 | Apr humidity = 89 | May humidity = 90 | Jun humidity = 91 | Jul humidity = 89 | Aug humidity = 89 | Sep humidity = 91 | Oct humidity = 90 | Nov humidity = 90 | Dec humidity = 90 | year humidity = 90 |Jan sun = 89.9 |Feb sun = 107.3 |Mar sun = 130.2 |Apr sun = 114.0 |May sun = 86.8 |Jun sun = 63.0 |Jul sun = 83.7 |Aug sun = 80.6 |Sep sun = 60.0 |Oct sun = 74.4 |Nov sun = 69.0 |Dec sun = 74.4 |year sun = |Jand sun = 2.9 |Febd sun = 3.8 |Mard sun = 4.2 |Aprd sun = 3.8 |Mayd sun = 2.8 |Jund sun = 2.1 |Juld sun = 2.7 |Augd sun = 2.6 |Sepd sun = 2.0 |Octd sun = 2.4 |Novd sun = 2.3 |Decd sun = 2.4 |yeard sun = |source 1 = Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales{{cite web |url=http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios+Climatol%C3%B3gicos++1981+-+2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815025712/http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios%2BClimatol%C3%B3gicos%2B%2B1981%2B-%2B2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128 |archive-date=15 August 2016 |title=Promedios Climatológicos 1981–2010 |publisher=Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales |language=es |access-date= 17 June 2024 |url-status=dead}}
Transportation
The city is served by Guapi Airport.
Notable people
- Hernán Alvarado Solano, bishop
- Lucrecia Panchano, poet
- Jorge Perlaza, footballer
- Semblanzas del Río Guapi, currulao band
References
References
- "Censo Nacional de Población y Vivienda 2018".
- "Sitio web del municipio Guapi en Cauca".
- (2022-12-14). "Row over ancestral festivity divides Afro-Colombian town". BBC News.
- Fides, Agenzia. "VATICAN - Cardinal Filoni in Guapi: "It is necessary to develop a strong missionary conscience" - Agenzia Fides".
- "Balsadas en Guapi - lullabies and songs of the South Pacific Colombian, Colombia".
- (2015-12-10). "Marimba music, traditional chants and dances from the Colombia South Pacific region and Esmeraldas Province of Ecuador - intangible heritage - Culture Sector - UNESCO".
- Dennis, Claire. (2015-11-09). "Floods in west Colombia leave 6000 homes damaged".
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