Writers and Journalists
(Arranged by date of birth)

Colonel Juan Manuel Barrera (1828-1888) – Writer and journalist.
Barrera was a lawyer and political scientist who held important governmental positions. He was the military leader of the Sovereign State of Magdalena. As a writer, he edited several newspapers and translated many works.
His works include such books as The Glories of the Country and Album of my Poems. He was born in Chiriguaná.

Consuelo Araújo Noguera "La Cacica" (1940-2001) – Writer and journalist.
As a promoter of vallenato folklore, Araújo founded, along with Rafael Escalona and López Michelsen (former President of Colombia), the Festival of Vallenata Legends.
She wrote three books about the culture of her hometown, Vallenatología, Escalona - The Man and the Myth, and The lexicon of the Valley of Upar. She worked as a journalist for El Espectador newspaper for over twenty years and directed “La Cacica Comenta” on the Guatapuri Radio Station in Valledupar. In 2001, after becoming Minister of Culture, she was abducted and murdered by guerrillas. She was born in Valledupar.

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Artists

Rita Hinojosa – Painter.
Hinojosa has exhibited her work in Bogotá and Panama. She has been a part of collective exhibits in both Bogotá and New York City in the United States. She was born Valledupar in 1950.

Álvaro Palomino – Painter.
Having shown his work in La Guajira, as well as Maracaibo, Venezuela, this artist has been recognized in his home province. He won the first prize the “Framework Painting Contest” during the XVII Festival of the Wayüu culture in Uribia, Guajira. Palomino was born in Chimichagua in 1956.

Walter Arland – Painter.
Arland's paintings have been exhibited in important art galleries.
He was born in Valledupar.

Franklin Ramos – Painter.
He has shown his work in collective exhibits in Barranquilla, Miami, and Caracas.
Ramos was born in Valledupar in 1966.

José Aníbal Moya – Painter.
Moya has shown his work in collective exhibitions in Valledupar. He was born there in 1969.

Eivar Moya – Painter.
His work has been shown in collective exhibitions in Barranquilla, Miami, and Caracas.
He was born in Valledupar in 1970.

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Martial Arts

Óscar Muñoz – Taekwondo
Champion in taekwondo. Winner of the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games in the 58 kg division in taekwondo. The expert in this martial art was victorious in the Pan American Championship in the competition that took place in Querétaro (Mexico) in 2011. Muñoz was born in Valledupar in 1993.

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Musicians, Composers and Singers

Tobías Pumarejo "Don Toba" (1908-1995)  – Composer.
An author of romantic vallenato songs, some of his compositions include, La Víspera de Año Nuevo, El Alazanito and La Cita.
He was born in Valledupar but grew up in Patillal.

Alejandro Durán "Alejo" (1919-1989) – Composer, singer and accordionist.
A singer and composer of vallenata music, Durán was the author of more than 300 musical works, including, Pedazo de Acordeón and Fidelina. In 1968 he was the first to be crowned 'King of the Vallenato Festival'.
Durán was born in El Paso (Cesar).

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(Cont.) Musicians, Composers and Singers

Rafael Escalona Martínez– (1927-2009) – Composer.
One of the first promoters of vallenata music, Escalona was also one of the most popular composers of the Caribbean Coast.
He co-founded the Leyenda Vallenata Festival and was honoured nationally and internationally. In 1998 he was decorated by President Ernesto Samper with the Cross of Boyacá. In 2006 he was honoured at the Grammy Awards with the “Life and Work of the Latin American Academy of Recording Art and Sciences” award, and in 2008 he received the "Aplauso a las Bellas Artes" Pirze.
Some of his best-known compositions are La Casa en el Aire, El Testamento, La Despedida, El Ermitaño, La Maye, and La Vieja Sara. He was born in Patillal.

Calixto Ochoa – Composer and singer.
The vallenata music of this renowned composer has been applauded worldwide. His works include Los Sabanales and La Ombligona, Compae Manejo y el Africano. In 1970 he was voted King of the Vallenata Festival. Ochoa was born in Valencia de Jesus in 1934.

Camilo Namen – Composer and singer.
Many of Namén's songs have been dedicated to his beloved family and friends. He won the Vallenato Festival with his song Recordando mi Niñez , examples of his other pieces are, La Vieja Concha, Las Canas de mi Vieja and Mi Gran Amigo. He was born in Chimichagua in 1944.

Fernando Meneses – Composer.
His great musical talent has inspired Meneses to compose Colombian folkloric music from every region of the country including bambucos, pasillos, joropos, llaneros, and vallenatos.
In 1981 he won first prize at the Villavicencio Song Festival for his joropo Mujer y Llano. He was again honoured in 1997, at the National Festival of Composers with the title of Composer of the Year.
He was born in La Gloria.

Eibar Gutiérrez Barranco – Composer, singer and accordionist.
A defender of authentic vallenato music, Gutiérrez was the Viceroy at the Vallenata Legend Festival in 1998 and 1999. His album Eterno Abril y Más Caribe has been met with great success. He was born in Valledupar in 1973.

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Music Bands

El Binomio de Oro - El Nuevo Binomio de Oro de América
Created in June of 1976, this band is now recognized as one of the most popular Colombian musical groups, having been met with great success on and off the radio. They have received numerous prizes, among them a double platinum album.

Members:
Rafael Orozco (1954- 1992), born in Becerril.
Israel Romero, born in Villanueva (Guajira).
Juan Carlos Centeno born in Caracas (Venezuela).
Santiago Quintero Junior, born in Villanueva (Guajira).
José Fernando Romero, born in Villanueva (Guajira).

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          Beauty Queens "Miss Colombia"



–1994–
Tatiana Castro
She represented the department of Cesar,
She was born in Bogotá, D.C. in 1973





–2006–
Eileen Roca
She represented the department of Cesar.
She was born in Río de Janeiro, Brazil in 1986.