Things in Colombia are always magical. The most ordinary things are made extraordinary. And the practice of crocheting Wayúu bags is no exception. So fitting to the magical realism that is present in this beautiful country, the indigenous Wayúu people attribute the art of weaving to a talented little spider called Walekeru. The Hunter and the Magical Spider The story of the Walekeru begins with a hunter. One spring day, when the birds sang joyfully to announce the first rain showers of the season, a brave young man went hunting through the mountains of Isashii, a dark place where only fear and loneliness prevailed. This man was called Irunúu, and he was a mighty Wayúu hunter and warrior whose courage ran wild through his veins. The Wayúu elders say that when Irunúu was born, a star fell from the sky that illuminated the night. They also knew that his life would be filled with great surprises. The morning of Irunúu’s hunting trip, he heard a small voice that seemed to come from the tree branches. He thought it was simply the branches whispering in the wind, and so, he carried on. After a while, he heard a small child’s giggle. He stopped to listen, held his breath, prepared his arrow and his bow, and waited for the strange giggle to repeat itself. A mix of fear and curiosity took hold of him as he gathered the courage to move towards the unknown sound. The Magical Girl in the Woods Much to his surprise, behind the bushes he saw a scruffy, dirty little girl lying on the floor playing with ants. The hunter approached the little girl. Concerned, Irunúu asked her where her parents were, and if she was alright. Overwhelmed by all the questions, the little girl, whose name was Walekeru, burst into tears and rubbed her face with her dirty hands. The young man went from shock to compassion, and after hearing the words that came from the dirty child, tenderness awoke from his heart. Irunúu took the little girl’s hand, lifted her off the ground and carried her back to his home. That day, he had found a little flower, someone he would call the daughter of his soul. Upon their arrival, he told his three sisters to clean up the poor child and teach her the ways of a Wayuu woman. The sisters didn’t welcome Walekeru very well, and conspired to mistreat her by not feeding her. But she never went hungry, because Irunúu would always share his food with her when he arrived home every night. The Mystery of the Weaving Begins After some time, Irunúu noticed that wonderful woven items started to appear in the house. A beautiful woven hammock, a finely crocheted blanket and other items would appear as if by magic. Irunúu had no idea where these items were coming from, until one evening he arrived home earlier than usual. As he entered his hut, Irunúu was attracted by an unknown force. Upon closer inspection, he realized that Walekeru had transformed into a beautiful maiden. She was quickly weaving the threads that were coming out of her mouth as she turned them into beautiful fabrics. At once, Irunúu fell in love. She told him she could stay that way as long as he would keep her talent a secret. A Dance with the Devil One day, evil spirits in disguise invited Irunúu to an event. He came wearing many of the beautiful fabrics Walekeru had made for him. The spirits asked him where he got them from, but he knew he had to keep his promise to Walekeru. As the evening went on, the spirits got Irunúu drunk, and the truth came out. When Irunúu woke up the next morning, he remembered the promise he broke and came running home. His sisters were nowhere to be seen. Walekeru had turned them into bats. As he walked over to embrace her, Walekeru disappeared. In her place, Irunúu found a spider who escaped into the mountains to never be found again. Irunúu saved all the beautiful threads Walekeru made for him and sent them to a Wayúu artisan so she could imitate the techniques and pass them on to other Wayúu women. And so, the art of crocheting spread across the land and the mystical and magical Walekeru become known as the mother of weaving for the Wayúu people.

There are around 102 different indigenous communities in Colombia, and each group has its own language, customs and traditions. The Wayúu people are one of the most important of these communities, not just because they represent 20% of Colombia’s indigenous population, but also because they have been able to use the art of weaving to spread love and appreciation for their magical culture around the world. To keep spreading this appreciation for Wayúu culture, here are some curious facts about the Wayúu people that you may not know: 1. Dreams are as important as reality The world of dreams in Wayúu culture is considered to be equally important as conscious reality, and whilst the Wayúu are dreaming, the deity of sleep, ‘lapü’ visits them to transmit important messages about the meaning of life. Dreaming is also used by the Wayúu people to detect illnesses within their communities and search for answers to life’s challenges. 2. Living beings consist of 3 parts Wayúu mysticism sees each living being as consisting of three components: the body, the soul and the bones. When a person leaves the universe of the living, they must be buried twice as the Wayuu believe this allows the creators of the universe to turn their remains into rain. Transforming into rain allows them to return to the universe of the living and help cultivate new life. 3. Maternal knowledge is highly respected The Wayúu people use the concept of ‘apüshii’ to express the act of female elders passing down knowledge to young girls in their community. Mothers, aunts, grandmothers and community members who engage in this practice are also referred to as the ‘apüshii’. What are Kanaas? Symbology in Wayuu Bags 4. Spirits hold powers of life and death Within the Wayúu community, the spirits of people who have passed are considered to be sacred and are referred to as ‘pülasü’. These spirits are believed to hold great powers of both life and death, of health and sickness. The ‘pülasü’ can be contacted through dreams where both the universe of the living and the dead collide. 5. Wayuú people speak Wayuunaiki The native language of Wayúu people is called Wayuunaiki although approximately 32% of the population also speak Spanish. For the Wayúu community, maintaining their language is of extreme importance as it allows them to express their unique reality in a more descriptive way. Within their community and at home, they always speak to each other in Wayuunaiki and they only use Spanish to interact with people from outside their tribe. 6. The Wayuú tribe is a matriarchal tribe The Wayúu community has a matriarchal culture. This is not only because the majority of Wayúu women are the main economic providers but also because the women are the carriers of ancestral knowledge. Very few men learn to weave as this task is passed down to women during the ‘encierro’ or rite of passage into womanhood. As a result, women tend to have more financial power thanks to the income earned through their art. 7. Souls can come back to haunt a community It is said that sometimes the spirit of the recently passed can have difficulty reaching the universe of the sacred if they don’t pass peacefully. These souls are referred to as ‘yoluja’ and can return to the universe of the living to steal souls at night. In order to deter the ‘yoluja’, Wayúu women will bathe their children in tobacco, helping to deter the evil spirits from harming their little ones. Meet Guillermina: "I am passionate and proud of my craft" 8. Wayúu people have their own territory Wayuu people govern their own autonomous territory that extends over the north-east of Colombia and the north-west of Venezuela. However, as their loyalties lie with their community, they don’t consider themselves as Colombian or Venezuelan, but simply as Wayúu. Many Wayúu people have family in both Colombia and Venezuela and it is normal for them to cross the border on a daily basis. 9. Their souls wander whilst they sleep For the Wayúu people, when they are in a state of sleep known as ‘alapüjawaa’, their soul will wander in order to search for the meaning of life. But they must be careful because if the soul wanders for too long, this can cause illness and it is thought that if a person in their sleep wanders past the realm of illness, they will enter the realm of death. This will cause their soul to forever wander, unable to get back to the universe of the living. 10. Plants are respected living things The Wayúu people distinguish material things from things that possess ‘energy of life’. According to their mythology, not only do humans possess ‘energy of life’ but plants and animals as well. This means that they also possess the energy of death, and must be respected due to the power they hold to influence the health of other living beings around them. 11. Young girls weave hammocks first When young Wayuu girls begin learning how to weave starting their first menstruation, they usually learn to weave ‘chinchorros‘ or traditional hammocks, even before they learn how to make mochila bags. The reason for this is that ‘chinchorros‘ are considered highly spiritual and important items in Wayúu culture as they are used for working, socializing and most importantly dreaming, allowing them to reach another realm. The Meaning Behind The Sacred Wayuu Ritual of “El Encierro” 12. Speaking about dreams is important One of the most important aspects of Wayúu culture is to speak about dreams. As dreams transmit messages from the spiritual universe to the living universe, many Wayúu people begin their day asking ‘jamaya pü’lapüin?’, or ‘how was your dream?’ as a greeting. Understanding the mystic universe of the Wayuu people helps us to see the world through a new set of eyes. We all search for answers to the unknown, and the Wayúu’s dream world and respect for the ‘energy of life’ is a beautiful answer to that for which we have no explanation. In each and every Wayuu bag, we hope to transmit this magical energy to you and to transport you to a place where dreams reign infinitely. Sources “Make Dreams” A Wayuu Perspective, Carmen Laura Paz Reverol “El Pueblo Wayuu”, Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia “Los Wayuu”, Ministerio de Minería y Energía de Colombia

Today, Wayuu bags have become a popular item with fun geometrics lines and colorful animals and flowers. But traditionally, Wayuu bags were crocheted depicting kanaas, or symbolical drawings native to the Wayuu culture. Kanaas found in Wayuu bags represent the day-to-day of the Wayuu life. It is what they know and have always known. These kanaas were passed down from generation to generation since pre-Columbian times. Kanaas allude to animals, symbology and objects present in the daily life of the Wayuu community. The Wayuu people extract the essence of their land and daily life by simplifying and abstracting their shapes and translating them into the magical art of Wayuu bags. Therefore, the meaning behind a drawing is more important than its appearance. Because these kanaas, or drawings are not an accurate representation of reality, but part of the Wayuu’s magical realism. As a result, kanaas are the ultimate expression and proud representation of Wayuu culture. This ancient art form, most likely originating from the Alta Guajira, consists in crocheting beautiful and stylized geometric figures, which represent elements of the natural environment that surrounds the daily life of the Wayuu. As kanaas take on geometric shapes, a colorful range of colors bring the composition of straight lines to life. Generally, kanaas are repeated along a fabric, each repetition amplifying its meaning. Discover Waleker: the mythical spider behind the art of crochet Some kanaas can be more complex to crochet than others and so, the more complex the figures, the greater value a piece acquires. Thanks to the language of kanaas, textile confection for the Wayuu community not only fulfills a utilitarian role, but becomes a genuine manifestation of their conception of the world. Kanaas can be seen across different types of Wayuu textiles including Wayuu bags, hammocks, backpacks and more. Below, you’ll find some of the most popular Kanaas and what they represent: Jalianaya: The mother of all Kanaas Saiaatpanaa: Rabbit’s teeth Suitkarayaa Kanaas: The start of a Kanaa Rulumaya: a Termite Shichirujuna paa: Cows’ nose Jañuleky: A fly’s head Walenaya: The trace of a walena (a kitchen utensil) Iwouya: The star pattern that announces the arrival of the rains Jime´uya: Eye of a fish Kuliichiya: The shape formed on the roof of house Antajirasu: All that which intersects Siwottouya: The footprint left by a horse Pa´ralouas: All that which is on top on each other Maruliunaya: The trace of a kitchen utensil Molokonoutaya: The shell of the Morrocoy turtle Pulikeruuya: The vagina of a donkey Kalepsu: A wooden hanger used to hang objects from the ceiling Ule`sia: Clean