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Musings from an Afro-Costa Rican

An Afro-spiritual journey by Afro-Costa Rican writer Delia Adassa McDonald Woolery

McDonald's writing finds the tangible beauty of Afro-Costa Rican culture and traditions as her words embrace Blackness.

Wanderlust: embracing the world as an Afro-Tica

How one woman from Guanacaste fulfilled her dreams of traveling the world.

Count me in, part III: Carmen Miller and Costa Rican ‘Sisterlocks’

Third in a three-part series that focuses on making visible the thriving natural hair movement among Afro-descended Costa Ricans within the context of the...

Count me in, part II: Natural Hair Sistahs 506

This second and final part of the Natural Hair Series, Count Me In, discusses the reasons why each of the women I interviewed decided to return back to natural Afro-hair after having their hair chemically processed or using extensions and weaves for years.

Count me in: the natural hair revolution among Afro-Ticas

In order to combat centuries of negative stereotypes about afro hair, many people of African descent have waged personal wars with trying to “control the kink.”

Dr. Charles Gourzong: Costa Rica’s visionary medicine man

This month in "Musings from an Afro-Costa Rican," Natasha Gordon-Chipembere takes a look at a Limón-born medical legend.

A Costa Rican, a first kiss: Mourning George Michael

Columnist Natasha Gordon Chipembere brings us a prom memory that was part Brooklyn, part Costa Rica, totally ’80s, and elevated by George Michael.

A rare find: African voices in the Costa Rican National Archives

Tales from Costa Rica's history of slavery, from the country's cacao plantations to a remarkable shipwreck near Cahuita.

“Me and my people building” – Fire and the future of the Black Star Line building

Sadness at the loss of a huge piece of Limón's history, mixed with hope that the Liberty Hall fire might be the start of a new era.

Learning English in Costa Rica, then and now

These days, students have tons of options for learning English in Costa Rica – but in Limón of the 1940s and 50s, it was all about schoolhouses like Sister Jesse's.

The power of a mother’s voice: the sinking of the San Pablo in Limón, 1942

The author of "Musings from an Afro-Costa Rican" explores a family memory of the night World War II touched Costa Rican shores, and calls on Tico Times readers to help her honor those lost.

Costa Rica’s La Chola, Beyoncé, Sarah Baartman and representations of black womanhood

Does San José's "La Chola de la Avenida" fit into complex race and gender dynamics that span the globe from Beyoncé to the South African slave Sarah Baartman? Or is she in a category all her own?

La Cruz de Caravaca: A signpost from the past

This month's "Musings from an Afro-Costa Rican" explores borders and markers between cultures, especially Costa Rica's last remaining Cruz de Caravaca.

From a corner: Being Afro-Latina in Costa Rica

Limón is not just a port of entry for goods and a place to eat rice and beans. It is a space of legacy, of communities, of history, of people who at times make a lot out of a little.
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Guanacaste Airport Outpaces Costa Rica’s Main Airport

Costa Rica welcomed more than 2 million international tourists during the first seven months of 2026, but the clearest sign of change was not...

What happened to Galeria Namu?

Founded in 1998, Galeria Namu had become a must-visit attraction for tourists visiting San Jose, as well as for many nationals, interested in seeing...

Costa Rica Flooding Forces 500 Into Shelters as Pacific Side Runs Dry

Two tropical waves in three days left the Caribbean and Northern Zone saturated while the Pacific sits in its driest stretch of the year. Here is what the next four weeks look like.

Why Spending US Dollars in Costa Rica Can Be Surprisingly Difficult

When money is the subject, I am as old school as anybody. Cash is king in my world. The thrill, the feel of a...