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The Wayuu (also Wayu, Wayúu, Guajiro, Wahiro) are an Amerindian ethnic group of the
Guajira Peninsula The Guajira Peninsula ( es, Península de La Guajira, links=no, also spelled ''Goajira'', mainly in colonial period texts, guc, Hikükariby) is a peninsula in northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela in the Caribbean. It is the northernm ...
in northernmost part of
Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
and northwest Venezuela. The
Wayuu language Wayuu ( guc, Wayuunaiki ), or Guajiro, is a major Arawakan language spoken by 305,000 indigenous Wayuu people in northwestern Venezuela and northeastern Colombia on the Guajira Peninsula. There are 200,000 speakers of Wayuu in Venezuela and 120 ...
is part of the
Maipuran Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known as Maipurean (also ''Maipuran, Maipureano, Maipúre''), is a language family that developed among ancient indigenous peoples in South America. Branch ...
(Arawak) language family.


Geography

The Wayúu inhabit the arid
Guajira Peninsula The Guajira Peninsula ( es, Península de La Guajira, links=no, also spelled ''Goajira'', mainly in colonial period texts, guc, Hikükariby) is a peninsula in northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela in the Caribbean. It is the northernm ...
straddling the Venezuela-Colombia border, on the Caribbean Sea coast. Two major rivers flow through this mostly harsh environment: the Rancheria River in Colombia and the
El Limón River The El Limón River is a river in Zulia in northwestern Venezuela. It flows into the Caribbean Sea. Tributaries include the Socuy River and Guasare River Guasare River is a river of northern Venezuela. It flows into the Caribbean Sea The Ca ...
in Venezuela representing the main source of water, along with artificial ponds designed to hold rain water during the
rain season The wet season (sometimes called the Rainy season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. It is the time of year where the majority of a country's or region's annual precipitation occurs. Generally, the sea ...
. The territory has equatorial weather seasons: a rainy season from September to December, which they call ''Juyapu''; a dry season, known by them as ''Jemial'', from December to April; a second rainy season called ''Iwa'' from April to May; and a long second dry season from May to September.


History


Guajira rebellion

Although the Wayuu were never subjugated by the Spanish, the two groups were in a more or less permanent state of war. There were rebellions in 1701 (when they destroyed a Capuchin mission), 1727 (when more than 2,000 natives attacked the Spanish), 1741, 1757, 1761 and 1768. In 1718, Governor Soto de Herrera called them "barbarians, horse thieves, worthy of death, without God, without law and without a king". Of all the Indigenous peoples in the territory of Colombia, they were unique in having learned the use of firearms and horses. Luis Angel Arango Library: The Guajira rebellion
/ref> In 1769, the Spanish captured 22 Wayuus in order to put them to work building the fortifications of Cartagena. The reaction of the natives was unexpected. On May 2, 1769, at El Rincón, near Río de la Hacha, they set their village afire, burning the church and two Spaniards who had taken refuge in it. They also captured the priest. The Spanish immediately dispatched an expedition from El Rincón to capture the Wayuu. This force was led by José Antonio de Sierra, a mestizo who had also headed the party that captured the 22 Guajiro. They recognized him and forced his party to take refuge in the house of the curate, which they then set afire. Sierra and eight of his men were killed. This success was soon known in other Guajiro areas, and more men joined the revolt. According to Messía, at the peak there were 20,000 Wayuu under arms. Many had firearms acquired from English and Dutch smugglers, sometimes even from the Spanish. These enabled the rebels to take nearly all the settlements of the region, which they burned. According to the authorities, more than 100 Spaniards were killed and many others taken prisoner. Many cattle were also taken by the rebels. The Spaniards who could took refuge in Río de la Hacha and sent urgent messages to
Maracaibo ) , motto = "''Muy noble y leal''"(English: "Very noble and loyal") , anthem = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_alt = ...
, Valle de Upar, Santa Marta and Cartagena. Cartagena sent 100 troops. The rebels themselves were not unified. Sierra's relatives among the Wayuu took up arms against the rebels to avenge his death. The two groups of natives fought at La Soledad. That and the arrival of Spanish reinforcements caused the rebellion to fade, but not before the Guajiro had regained much territory.


Evangelization process

The process of evangelization of the Wayuu people restarted in 1887 with the return of the
Capuchin friars The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (; postnominal abbr. O.F.M. Cap.) is a religious order of Franciscan friars within the Catholic Church, one of Three " First Orders" that reformed from the Franciscan Friars Minor Observant (OFM Obs., now OFM) ...
under reverend friar José María de Valdeviejas. In 1905,
Pope Pius X Pope Pius X ( it, Pio X; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of C ...
created the
Vicariate A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...
of La Guajira with friar Atanasio Vicente Soler y Royo as first Vicar, in an attempt to "civilize" the Wayuu people. Luis Angel Arango Library: The Capuchins mission and the Wayuu Culture
/ref> The friars then created the orphanages for Wayuu children beginning with the La Sierrita orphanage, built in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains in 1903, followed by the San Antonio orphanage, located by the Calancala River, in 1910, and the Nazareth orphanage in the Serrania de Macuira mountains in 1913, creating a direct influence over the Rancherias of Guarrachal, El Pájaro, Carazúa, Guaraguao, Murumana, Garra patamana and Karraipía, with Nazareth exerting some control over the rancherias of Taroa, Maguaipa, Guaseipá and Alpanapause. The friars constantly visited the settlements inviting the Wayuu to attend mass. Wayuu children in the orphanage were educated with traditional European customs. Conflicts between the Wayuu people and the Colombian government decreased since then. In 1942
Uribia Uribia is town and municipality of the La Guajira department of Colombia. It is the youngest municipality of this Department since the year 2000. Northern Zone of the Cerrejón coal mines are located in this municipality. The municipality also con ...
celebrated Christmas and
New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...
for the first time.


Demographics

According to a 1997 census in Colombia, the Wayuu population numbered approximately 144,003 – representing 20% of Colombia's total Amerindian population and 48% of the population of the
Department of La Guajira La Guajira () is a department of Colombia. It occupies most of the Guajira Peninsula in the northeast region of the country, on the Caribbean Sea and bordering Venezuela, at the northernmost tip of South America. The capital city of the departm ...
. The Wayuu occupy a total area of within approximately ten settlements, eight of which are located south of the Department (including a major one called ''Carraipia''). In Venezuela, the Wayuu population is estimated at 293,777, according to the 2001 census, with some 60,000 living in the city of Maracaibo. This makes the Wayuu the largest indigenous group in Venezuela, representing 57.5% of the Amerindian population. Wayuu communities are not uniformly distributed within these territories, as their population is concentrated primarily in the outskirts of such settlements as Nazareth and Jala'ala, on the plains of Wopu'muin and Uribia, and within the municipalities of
Maicao Maicao (Wayuu: ) is a city and municipality in the Department of La Guajira, northern Republic of Colombia. It is located 76 km from Riohacha, the capital of the department and is the second largest urban center near the border with Venezuela ...
and Manaure, where population densities are some of the highest in the peninsula. This irregular distribution is intimately related to seasonal changes in weather – during the dry season, a significant proportion of the population crosses the border into Venezuela to work in the city of
Maracaibo ) , motto = "''Muy noble y leal''"(English: "Very noble and loyal") , anthem = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_alt = ...
and its nearby settlements; once the rainy season begins, these Wayuu tend to return to their homes on the
Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
n side. The Wayuu people refer to themselves simply as "Wayuu" and do not acknowledge the term "Indian", preferring instead the term "people". They use the terms ''Kusina'' or "Indian" to refer to other ethnic indigenous groups, while using the term ''Alijuna'' (essentially meaning "the one who damages") to refer to outsiders or persons of European ancestry.


Clans

Families in the Wayuu culture are divided into clans, some of which are:


Language

The
Wayuu language Wayuu ( guc, Wayuunaiki ), or Guajiro, is a major Arawakan language spoken by 305,000 indigenous Wayuu people in northwestern Venezuela and northeastern Colombia on the Guajira Peninsula. There are 200,000 speakers of Wayuu in Venezuela and 120 ...
, called ''wayuunaiki'', is part of the Arawak language family predominant in different parts of the
Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
. There are small differences in dialect within the region of La Guajira: the northern, central or southern zones. Most of the younger generation speak Spanish fluently but understand the importance of preserving their traditional language. To promote cultural integration and bilingual education among Wayuus and other Colombians, the ''Kamusuchiwo'u'' Ethno-educative Center, or ''Centro Etnoeducativo Kamusuchiwo'u'', started an initiative to create the first illustrated Wayuunaiki-Spanish, Spanish-Wayuunaiki
dictionary A dictionary is a listing of lexemes from the lexicon of one or more specific languages, often arranged alphabetically (or by radical and stroke for ideographic languages), which may include information on definitions, usage, etymologies ...
br>


Religion and society

The central figure of the Wayuu religion is ''Maleiwa'' (God) creator of everything, of the Wayuu and the founder of society. ''Pulowi'' and ''Juya'', spiritual beings, like demigods, are a married couple associated with procreation and life, where ''Pulowi'' is the female figure related to the wind and dry seasons, and '' Huya (mythology), Juya'' the male, is a nomad and related to
hunting Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...
who is seen as a powerful killer. ''Wanülu'' represents the evil spirit being of illness, and death. Children are born at home, assisted by the mother-in-law or the nearest female relative. Priority is placed on the well-being of the child as women prefer to feed children first and follow strict diets when the survival of children is not assured. Puberty is not very important among boys, but girls are exposed to rituals as early as 12 years old or when they start menstruating, requiring them to go through a period of seclusion for anywhere from two months up to two years. Girls are obliged to shave their heads and rest in a chinchorro or large hammock. During this period, Wayuu girls are taught how to be a wife in which a large part consists of cooking and learning the art of crocheting Wayuu bags. She is also fed with a special vegetarian diet called ''Jaguapi'', and bathes frequently. Women play important roles in the society, but it is not quite a matriarchal one. The Wayuu want their women to be wise and mature. Nearly all marriages are arranged and accompanied by a dowry, which is given to the mother's brothers and uncles. Young girls are promised to men of the clan as young as 11 years old, around the time they are becoming of child-bearing age. The perceived intention is to wed her to a man before risking that pregnancy out of wedlock or arrangement, a cause of great social shame, specifically for the woman's family's honor and credibility. Men may have multiple wives ( polygamy). The Wayuu believe that the life cycle does not end with death, but that a relationship with one's bones continues.
Burial Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
s are very important. The relatives of the dead act in a certain way: first, the body is buried with personal belongings; after five years, the bones are exhumed, put into ceramics or a ''chinchorro'' ( hammock), and reburied in the
clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...
's cemetery.


Lifestyle

A traditional Wayuu settlement is made up of five or six houses that made up ''caseríos' ' or '' rancherías''. Each ''ranchería'' is named after a plant, animal or geographic place. A territory that contains many ''rancherias'' is named after the mother's last name; that is, society is matrilineal. The Wayuu congregated in ''rancherias'' are usually isolated and far from each other to avoid mixing their goat
herd A herd is a social group of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with this is called ''herding''. These animals are known as gregarious animals. The term ''herd'' is ...
s. The typical house is a small structure called a ''piichi'' or ''miichi'', generally divided into two rooms with hammocks to sleep in and keep personal belongings such purses or ''mochilas'' o
acrylic fiber
and ceramics to keep water. Wayuu culture is known for making Wayuu bags or ''mochilas''. There are many styles of ''mochilas''. A ''susu'' is a backpack typically 20 cm-30 cm wide and 35 cm high, used to store personal and work items. Characteristic for the fabrics are the decorating patterns inspired by nature and what the culture sees around. Living quarters are either rectangular or semi-circular. Close to the main house is a common area called a ''luma'' or ''enramada'', similar to a living room but almost in the open. Built of six pillars with a flat roof, it is used for everyday duties and to attend to visitors and business activities. Family members hang their hammocks there for the noon nap. Traditionally, the walls are made of ''yotojoro''Villalobos ''et al.'' (2007) – a wattle and daub of
mud A MUD (; originally multi-user dungeon, with later variants multi-user dimension and multi-user domain) is a Multiplayer video game, multiplayer Time-keeping systems in games#Real-time, real-time virtual world, usually Text-based game, text-bas ...
, hay and dried canes, but some Wayuu now use more modern construction with cement and other materials. The preferred material for roofing and ''yotojoro'' wood is the dagger cactus (''
Stenocereus griseus ''Stenocereus griseus'', also known as the Mexican organ pipe, dagger cactus, pitaya, and pitayo de mayo, is a species of cactus. Description This tree-like cactus can grow up to 9 m tall, with stems up to 12 cm in diameter. Depending on t ...
''), which the Wayuu call ''yosú''. The word ''yotojoro'' originally referred to the cane-like inner wood of the ''yosú'' cactus. This plant is used for many other purposes: it is planted to create living fences around pastures; young shoots are fed to goats; the fruit (''iguaraya'') is similar to
pitahaya A pitaya () or pitahaya () is the fruit of several different cactus species indigenous to the Americas. Pitaya usually refers to fruit of the genus ''Stenocereus'', while pitahaya or dragon fruit refers to fruit of the genus '' Selenicereus'' ...
and is a popular food among the Wayuu. Because the demand for ''yosú'' as food and wood is seasonal, at times there is little fruit, building material or even cuttings for fences. It has thus been proposed to develop techniques for the Wayuu to cultivate it. Due to varying supply of ''yosú'' wood for construction, other plants are also used, including ''trupillo'' or ''turpío'' ('' Prosopis juliflora''), ''jattá'' ('' Haematoxylum brasiletto''), ''kapchip'' ('' Capparis zeylanica'') and ''kayush'' ( Peruvian Apple Cactus, ''Cereus repandus'').


Music and dances

Traditional Wayuu music is closely tied to economy and social life. For example, they sing to their cattle. They also use music for meetings and celebrations, as well as mourning rituals during funerals. La ''Yonna'' is a traditional dance used to honor guests. Girls are taught a dance that is at the heart of the ''Majayura'', the ritual passage of the "young Wayuu virgin". She must dance in a courtship dance (''baile de cortejo'') with prospective suitors. With her head covered and wearing a fabric shawl and dress, the girl dances forward with small steps and arms outstretched, swooping like a bird, within a circle made up of people from the village. The male dances backward before her, coming close and yielding as they circle around, until he finally falls to the ground. The adult men play traditional drums and musical instruments in their ring around the dancers. If a male is respected in his clan and accepted, he must pay a dowry to the girl's mother and male relatives. This used to be in the form of goats and sheep for the support of the clan. Traditional musical instruments include ''kashi'', ''sawawa'' (a type of flute), ''ma'asi'', ''totoy'' and the ''taliraai'' (tubular flute), ''wootoroyoi'' (a type of clarinet), among others.


Wayuu artisan industry

Wayuu women learn how to weave at a very early age. The Wayuu are descendants of the Caribs and Arawak peoples, largely known for their strong weaving tradition. The Wayuu carry on this traditional weaving. It is said the Wayuu learned to weave thanks t
a mythical spider called Walekeru
This spider would create magical pieces using thread from her mouth. She is the one that taught all Wayuu women to crochet, crocheting hammocks to sleep in, belts for men, shoes, bracelets and Wayuu bags of all different sizes and crochet methods to be used for different purposes. Today, the skill of crocheting has become the main source of income for the Wayuu community. Traditionally, Wayuu bags were not as bright and colorful as they are now. Cotton used to be able to grow in the region of La Guajir
thus Wayuu bags were made of natural fibers
They were dyed using plants and elements of the natural surrounding, thus took on shades of brown, red and other natural hues. Today, there is a common misconception that Wayuu bags are made of cotton. But all crochet pieces from the Wayuu community are made of acrylic threads from companies like Miratex, providing bright hues that will not wash out easily with time as opposed to natural fibers. Weaving and crocheting make up a large part of their daily life, especially for women. Most of the women presently weave or will do it at some point through their lives. The men participate in the industry as well; they make the straps, provide the materials, and transport the goods to the city centers. The tribe produces millions of high-quality artisan products every year. This artisan weaving industry plays a vital role in the local economy, and the people are known most for the mochila Wayuu or Wayuu Bag. Today, Wayuu bags are the most exported handicraft in all of Colombia. The Wayuu have resented the way that foreigners have profited more from their work than do the artisans.


Representation in other media

* The Wayuu are among the peoples depicted in the 1921 documentary ''
Blandt Syd-Amerikas urskovsindianere ''Blandt Syd-Amerikas urskovsindianere'' (''Among the Primeval Forest Indians of South America'') is a Swedish–Norwegian documentary film about Gustaf Bolinder's ethnographic expedition to South America from 1920 to 1921. The film was shot by O ...
'' (Among the Primeval Forest Indians of South America). * The feature film ''Pájaros de verano'' ('' Birds of Passage'', 2019) is set on the Guajira peninsula and among the Wayuu in the 1970s. Directed by
Cristina Gallegos Cristina is a female given name, and it is also a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Cristina (daughter of Edward the Exile), 11th-century English princess * Cristina (singer), Cristina Monet-Palaci (1956–2020), American ...
and Ciro Guerra, it stars José Acosta and Carmiña Martínez. In addition, many non-actor Wayuu are included in the film, which is primarily in the Wayuu language. It explores the disruption of traditional clan culture after members of the tribe enter the drug trade, and are affected by great wealth and violence. * The film "" by the German filmmaker is about the forced displacement of Wayuu people from the town of Tamaquito. The Swiss-based company
Glencore Glencore plc is a Swiss multinational commodity trading and mining company with headquarters in Baar, Switzerland. Glencore's oil and gas head office is in London and its registered office is in Saint Helier, Jersey. The current company was c ...
with its Colombian subsidiary el Cerrejon needs their land for coal-mining.


Notable Wayuu people

* Adalberto Peñaranda * Carlos Ramos * Patricia Velásquez (b. 1971), actress/model and founder of the Wayúu Tayá Foundation * Lido Pimienta, musician/artist and winner of the 2017 Polaris Music Prize. Pimienta is of mixed Afro-Colombian and Wayúu descent *
Luis Díaz (Colombian footballer) Luis Díaz may refer to: Academics * Luis Díaz Viana (born 1951), Spanish anthropologist * Luis A. Diaz, American oncologist Arts and Entertainment * Luis Días (composer) (born 1952), Dominican composer and musician also known as "El Terror" * ...
, Liverpool FC and Colombia national team football player *
Omar Rudberg Omar Josué Rudberg (né González; born 12 November 1998) is a Venezuelan-Swedish singer and actor. Before launching his solo music career in 2018, he gained recognition and began his professional music career in 2013 as a member of the Swedish ...


See also

* Pütchipü'ü, the mediator in the traditional Wayuu justice system. *
Arhuacos The Arhuaco are an indigenous people of Colombia. They are Chibchan-speaking people and descendants of the Tairona culture, concentrated in northern Colombia in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Name The Arhuaco are also known as the Aruaco, B ...
* Haplogroup Q1a3a * Indigenous peoples of the Americas *
Koguis The Kogi ( ), or Cogui, or Kágaba, meaning " jaguar" in the Kogi language, are an indigenous group that resides in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains in northern Colombia. Their culture has continued since the Pre-Columbian era. Lang ...
* Taironas


Notes


References

* 2017. Use history of the fungus Podaxis pistillaris, Inonotus rickii and Phellorinia hercualeana (Basidiomycetes) by the Wayuu aboriginal peoples in the Colombian Alta Guajira. panish with English abstract''Revista Mexicana de Etnobiologia'' 15: 64–73
PDF fulltext
* 2007: Uso, manejo y conservacion de ''"yosú", Stenocereus griseus'' (Cactaceae) en la Alta Guajira colombiana sage, Management and Conservation of ''yosú, Stenocereus griseus'' (Cactaceae), in the Upper Guajira, Colombia panish with English abstract''Acta Biológica Colombiana'' 12(1): 99–112
PDF fulltext


External links


Ubuntu Linux in Wayuunaiki
– a project to bring Wayuunaiki language support to Ubuntu Linux
Wayuu artwork
National Museum of the American Indian
"Forgotten in the dust of northern Colombia"
a photo essay on the Wayuu by Nicolò Filippo Rosso, ''Washington Post'', 7 August 2017

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120229050937/http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1638:the-wayuu-indigenous-people-of-colombia-and-venezuela-video-documentary&catid=68:videos-and-movies&Itemid=96 Wayuu Indigenous People of Colombia and Venezuela], Indigenous Peoples Issues
article on the Wayuu
PBS ''
Frontline Front line refers to the forward-most forces on a battlefield. Front line, front lines or variants may also refer to: Books and publications * ''Front Lines'' (novel), young adult historical novel by American author Michael Grant * ''Frontlines ...
''
Massacre of Wayuu
''Denver Post''

Colombia's national library
Etniasdecolombia.orgPsicologia del Caribe: Wayuus


Commercial


Lombia + Co.
fair trade company that works directly with Wayuu artisans. Recognized by Wayuu Princess Patricia Velasquez a
"the right way to do business"
and by Lonely Planet a
a "responsible seller"

Indi Arts
artisans collective for Wayuu-designed bags and other goods
Wayuu Market
online market for Wayuu goods, allows design and color requests
Wayuu Bags Mochilas
Authentic Wayuu Mochilas Bags Handmade Fashion Crochet Purses, Colombian Bags by the Indigenous Wayuu in La Guajira, Colombia
Origin Colombia
an ethical and fairtrade company that supports the livelihood of the Wayuu community in Colombia by selling their Wayuu bags {{DEFAULTSORT:Wayuu People Indigenous peoples in Venezuela Indigenous peoples in Colombia Circum-Caribbean tribes