Wayuu Culture
Who are the Wayuu?
According to the Ministry of Culture (2010), the Wayúu are a traditional, historic, and indigenous community known as the people of the sun, sand, and wind. They live on the La Guajira peninsula, a desert region in northeastern Colombia. This community has struggled with the Spanish, the government, and Mother Nature to keep their traditions alive.
The Wayuu tribe maintains a series of ancestral traditions and rituals, living in small, isolated communities. They predominantly live in huts called rancherías, made with cactus or palm leaf roofs and walls made of yotojoro (mud, hay, or dried cane), with basic furnishings that include hammocks for sleeping and a small stove for cooking.
History
Spanish chronicles report that the Wayuu had a clan-based structure, with high levels of population mobility, and practiced hunting and fishing. Upon contact with Spanish culture, they adopted pastoralism and increased the length of their stay in their homes. Trade became an important factor in their economy and a mechanism for connecting with immigrant cultures.
After the establishment of the republic, Catholic missions established a presence in the territory. However, the Wayuu culture remained strong over the years, uninfluenced by outside cultures or beliefs.
Structure and beliefs
The social organization of the Wayuu people is associated with their cosmogonic principles and modes of mythical representation. Dreams are very important in their daily lives, as they explain the reality of the collective and confer prophetic powers.
Wayuu society is matrilineal and has approximately 30 clans, each with its own territory and totem animal. Within the family, the highest authority belongs to the maternal uncle, who intervenes in all family and domestic issues and takes charge of his sister's children more than the biological father. Wayuu women are active and independent, playing the role of leader and organizer of the clan. They are politically active, so female leaders represent the people in public spaces.
Marriage is contracted with a person from another clan, and the man's parents pay a dowry to the woman's parents. "When a woman gets married, we don't use a ring or a symbol to represent us. We marry through words. Our commitment is verbal, and everything we Wayuu do, we do through words," says Graciela Cotes, leader of the Wayuu community (Miguel A. Cortés, Radio Nacional, 2017).
Funeral ceremonies are one of the most representative rituals of the Wayuu people. Tradition states that the spirits of the deceased are seen by children and felt by everyone, and that only after the second burial do the deceased leave the earth.
Crafts
The Wayuu are notable for their textile work. For the Wayuu people, weaving is more than a cultural practice and a heritage from their ancestors; it's a way of conceiving and expressing life as they feel and desire it.
Single- and double-strand weaves are available. According to colombia.com, single-strand weaves are finer, tighter, lighter, and stronger, so they stand upright. On the other hand, double-strand weaves are thicker, heavier, and less stable.
The patterns they use in their textiles are a representation of the natural elements they encounter. Among the most well-known motifs are turtle shells, cow entrails, and fish eyes.
Each artisan has a unique pattern that represents her and includes it on the base of the backpacks. Therefore, the same backpack made by two artisans will never have the same base.
Problematic
This region has lacked access to basic public services and economic resources, experiencing high levels of social inequality and extreme poverty that have led to undignified lives. The Wayuu ethnic group is a matriarchal society that relies heavily on the trade of traditional crafts for its economic sustainability, facing unfair local commercial dynamics where their work is undervalued and leaves them without the benefits of economic growth. However, weaving is more than a cultural practice and a legacy from their ancestors; through this activity, they express how they experience life.
Furthermore, 84% of this population is poor. Six out of 10 indigenous people are illiterate, and some children have to walk up to three hours to get to school. The infant mortality rate is the highest in the country, with 34 children per 1,000 births. The lack of job opportunities is perhaps their greatest limitation, which, combined with a lack of education and global warming, has affected the tribes' ability to create sustainable agriculture, with droughts threatening crops and animals dying from desertion.
The Wayuu people have a rich ancestral tradition that has been alive for generations and must remain that way. That's why at the Hilo Sagrado Foundation, we work to ensure women can continue the weaving tradition and support their families. If you'd like to see the impact we've had on families, click here.
Sources:
Colombia.com (2019) How to identify an authentic Wayuu backpack? Colombia.com. Retrieved from https://www.colombia.com/actualidad/nacionales/como-identificar-una-autentica-mochila-wayuu-234292