The Wayuu (pronounced "Wah-You") are known as the people of the sun,sand and

wind. They are an indigenous Latin American group inhabiting the visually striking
desert of La Guajira Peninsula which borders Colombia and Venezuela. As a tribe,
they are not subjected to political frontiers and are able to move freely between both
countries, acting semi-nomadic. Never conquered by the Spanish, throughout the 17th
century the Wayúu fought against the occupiers and became known as a fierce tribe.
Their tenacity enabled them to preserve their traditions, especially through their
language called Wayuunaiki, which remains largely spoke although the newer
generations speak both Wauunaiki and Spanish
The Wayuu tribe has a number of ancient traditions and rituals they keep alive, living in small,
isolated communities predominately in huts called rancherías made from cactus or palm-leaf-
thatched roofs, yotojoro (mud, hay or dried cane) walls with basic furniture which includes
hammocks for sleeping and a small fire pit for cooking.
The Wayuu tribe is unique in the fact that the women of the household own the houses and
run the families, while the fathers work with the animals and land
One of the most significant aspects of culture that the Wayuu women practice is the
art of weaving Mochilas Wayuu bags.. They even have a popular saying: “To be a
woman is to know how to weave.” Each Wayuu mother teaches her daughter how to
weave and crochet, keeping the tradition as alive and vibrant as ever. To the Wayuu,
weaving is a symbol of wisdom, intelligence, and creativity.. According to legend, the
tradition comes from "Wale´kerü", a spider that taught the women how to weave their
creative drawings into the Wayuu bags. Each design incorporated into every Wayuu
bag is unique to the weaver, telling a story through the bag's colors, patterns and
shapes.