As part of our 'Meet Our Indigenous Wayuu Artisans' series, which introduces our indigenous Wayuu artisans to you in a more up-close-and-personal way, it is our pleasure to share Alejandrina's story with you. Alejandrina is a widow and single mother who is building a bright future for herself and her daughter. MEET ALEJANDRINA Indigenous Artisan Here in the Cucurumana community, it’s so peaceful that you can hear the wind whistling as it brushes against the trees. Our community has had to overcome many difficulties in the past few years, but we have definitely emerged stronger and more united than before. Our community has had to overcome many difficulties in the past few years, but we have definitely emerged stronger I’m a widow and a single mother of a beautiful young girl who I’ve been able to support with my earnings from Lombia, and now that she is old enough, I can’t wait to pass down to her all the knowledge and wisdom that my mother taught me. Most importantly, I want her to have choices that I didn’t have so she can choose her own path in life. I want my daughter to have choices that I didn’t have so she can choose her own path in life My goals for this year are to continue to be able to pay for my daughter’s education without having to worry, so that she can have a bright future, and so that she’ll always carry the Wayuu magic within her, whatever she may choose to do.

As part of our 'Meet Our Indigenous Wayuu Artisans' series, which introduces our indigenous Wayuu artisans to you in a more up-close-and-personal way, it is our pleasure to share Rosa's story with you. Rosa is a young woman who used to dream of being a policewoman before she discovered her love for crafting Wayuu bags. MEET ROSA Indigenous Artisan and Coordinator Although I’ve always loved weaving, I wanted to become a policewoman a few years back. There’s not a lot of options in the region of La Guajira, and I felt it was a job that could provide me with financial stability. I had to take an exam to pass the police test that cost a considerable amount of money. As I didn’t have enough, I got a private loan at a 10% monthly interest rate I was never able to pay back. I’ve learnt that it’s possible to earn a stable income from doing what I love the most - making Wayuu mochilas In the end, I didn’t pass the test and still had to pay back the money loaned. Lombia took on my debt at 0% interest which I was able to pay back in less than a year. Since then, I’ve also learnt that it’s possible to earn a stable income from doing what I love the most - making Wayuu mochilas that spread beauty around the world. Here in the Ranchería Cucurumana, our community is like a family, and luckily I’m able to support many others with my earnings. My goals for this year are to finish building the shared bathroom for our community My goals for this year are to finish building the shared bathroom for our community so that we no longer have to make long trips to the mountains, and to begin saving up to start a family in the next few years.

As part of our 'Meet Our Indigenous Wayuu Artisans' series, which introduces our indigenous Wayuu artisans to you in a more up-close-and-personal way, it is our pleasure to share Hayson's story with you. Hayson is one of the few male artisans in the Guajira region of Colombia, but has proved himself as very capable at his craft. MEET HAYSON Indigenous Artisan Even though the art of weaving is usually reserved for the women of our community, some men like myself do enjoy getting involved. Although I must say, we have had to prove ourselves amongst our women first! We have had to prove ourselves amongst our women first While most men dedicate themselves to looking after farm animals, agriculture and fishing, my creativity and curiosity has led me towards crocheting. I enjoy how the vibrant colors of the threads come together to create what is our heritage today. I also hope to grow as an individual and to support other community members My goals for this year are to continue working alongside Lombia to produce Wayuu bags, in the hope that more people take an interest in Wayuu culture. I also hope to grow as an individual and to support other community members as my art continues to flourish.

As part of our 'Meet Our Indigenous Wayuu Artisans' series, which introduces our indigenous Wayuu artisans to you in a more up-close-and-personal way, it is our pleasure to share Leyda's story with you. Leyda is a young mother to 6 children, who is from the magical village of Camarones, in the Guajira region of Colombia. MEET LEYDA Indigenous Artisan When my mother brought me into this world 30 years ago in the coastal village of Camarones, I knew that I had arrived in a very mystical place, unlike anywhere else on this planet. Camarones borders one of the largest natural freshwater habitats of pink flamingos in the world, and watching the colors of the water change under the sun as the lake meets the sea is spellbinding. Like many Wayuu women, I learnt to create magic with my hands as a child I’ve been collaborating with Lombia for the past two years, but like many Wayuu women, I learnt to create magic with my hands as a child. I have 6 little ones, and my main wish is to provide them with better opportunities with the stable income I’m receiving through Lombia. I have 6 little ones, and my main wish is to provide them with better opportunities with the stable income I’m receiving through Lombia My goals for this year is to continue creating hand woven Wayuu bags for you all and to continue watching my children grow up as they also learn about the art of weaving.

We're always talking about the value of Wayuu bags but for the first time, we wanted you to meet one of our many artisans through a short Q&A. Many artisans are quite shy, but Rosa dressed up for the occasion and let me ask her a few questions. Find out she began crocheting, what crocheting means to the women of this tribe and what is the curious mask on her face. I hope you enjoy the short interview! TRANSLATES TRANSCRIPT Q: How did you learn to crochet? R: I began crocheting a very long time ago, since I was about 5 or 7 years old. I started crocheting by watching, and I simply observed. I also started coming to Riohacha to sell the bags my family made. And that's how I started being an artisan. By watching other women sell and crochet. Q: What is the mask you have on? R: Wayuu woman use this to cover their faces and to protect them from the sun. It also removes sunspots. This powder comes from a tree that can be found by the edge of the river. You take the fruit from the tree and keep it in a jar and apply it to your face. I don't know the name of this fruit in Spanish but in Wayuunaiki it's called Mashuka. Q: What changes have you seen since working with us? R: The change has been for the better because I don't have to look for customers to buy from me and I can work and crochet with one person only. Inside every bag there is a dream for which I am crocheting. Other female artisans crochet to feed their children. As I don't have children, I crochet to get ahead and pay for my studies. Q: What would you like people to know? That they value craftsmanship and work of us artisans. Many bargain, forcing us to live in miserable conditions. I don't feel this is fair, that the work of an artisan is poorly paid. Q: Are you the head of your household? R: Well in my case, as I'm a single woman and I don't have any attachment or children, I work to sustain myself and my mother. Q: What does a Wayuu bag represent for you? R: For me a Wayuu bag represents the dream of each and every woman. The designs represent our culture. Engrained in every bag is our culture. I cannot abandon Wayuu bags because I was born with these bags. I was born crocheting. Since I was little they've always been there. Sometimes I even miss crocheting when I'm working on something else.