Artisans
Meet the Makers
Located deep in the La Guajira desert, between the Colombian and Venezuelan border, rises the traditional and ancestral indigenous Wayuú community. Its arriving to the territory dates to 150 A.D, to escape the hostile environments under the Spanish Yoke from the Amazon rainforest and Antilles. The community finds a new safe home. The tribe occupies a total area of 4,170 square miles (10,800 square kilometers) within the desert covering a large area in both colombian and venezuelan territory. The Wayuú folk is conformed by approximately 295,000 residents in the venezuelan region and 144,000 in the colombian region. With the final purpose of maintaining their traditional heritage and rituals, far away from the national context and government interventions, the Wayuú people have found shelter in small, isolated communities, of which there are around 10 in the La Guajira. The families live in huts called racherías made from cactus or palm-leaf-thatched roofs, yotojoro (mud, hay or fried cane) walls with basic furniture which includes hammocks (chinchorros) and a wood stove for cooking. The Wayuú community is a matriarchal community, where the woman owns the house and runs the family, while the man works with the animals and land. Each community has a leader who takes the decisions; usually there leader are well connected individuals who are direct descendants of previous leaders. Often these individuals know both Spanish and the Wayuú’s language. Wayuunaiki (part of the Maipuran or Arawakan language). Their culture combines legends, myths, stories, traditions and customs.
LOS CABRITOS

Community leader
































UYARAIPA












URRACHIKAT

Community leader














ATURAIMPA












CIRUELAKAT












SABANA LARGA










PEPTUNAI








GARCIAMANA




CHISPANA



YOTOJOROI


VILLA LUZ


WOLUVOTIAO


WOLUWOUPIAU

KARRAICIRA

CASTILLA
