Although approximately 32% of Wayúu people speak Spanish, their native language is called Wayuunaiki. Wayuunaiki is an indigenous language that originates from before the Spanish arrived to colonize Latin America. With its vivid and beautiful words, it helps to describe the unique and spiritual reality of the Wayúu people. Within their community and at home, Wayúu people always speak to each other in Wayuunaiki and only use Spanish to interact with people from outside their tribe. Wayúu children who study in Wayúu territory will also receive classes in Wayuunaiki. Nonetheless, younger generations tend to be fluent in Spanish as they move to cities to look for work. This has caused an increase in recent years of young people who can no longer speak fluent Wayuunaiki as they rarely speak it in their everyday lives. For these reasons, it's important to preserve the beauty of this language and to convey how important it is to express concepts for the Wayúu people for which individual words don’t exist in English or Spanish. That’s why we’ve made a list of some of the most beautiful Wayúu words that you should know so that you can better understand the magic behind this tribe’s culture. 1. Oyonnajaa - to dance a yonna ‘Oyonnajaa’ doesn’t just mean to dance, it means to dance the ‘yonna’, which is a Wayúu tradition that involves a woman playfully chasing a man whilst other members of the tribe play the drums. The man and the woman are usually in traditional dress, and the dance is organized to celebrate a special event such as the birth of a child, a marriage, or marking the end of a young girl’s ‘encierro’. 2. Jolutsü - stars 'Jolutsü’ refers to the stars that light up the skies of the Guajira region at night. Stars are particularly important for the Wayúu people as they are used to guide the way to the best places to go fishing the next day when there are no clouds in the sky. Meet Sarnelis: “Creating Mochilas Fills Me With Joy” 3. Püsia - something sweet ‘Püsia’ in Wayuunaiki means something sweet to taste, which the Wayúu people use to identify things like fruit and sweet corn drinks. Although Wayúu people do not eat fruit very often due to the arid conditions in the Guajira region, when they do, they consume mostly melon and watermelon. They also occasionally enjoy the sweetness of the igüaraya fruit which is a citrus fruit native to the Guajira region. 4. Aa’in - soul, spirit, heart and mind ‘For the Wayúu people, your ‘aa’in’, or your soul, spirit, heart and mind, are completely connected and that is why there is a word in Wayuunaiki that describes all these things and how they can work in unison. For the Wayúu people, if one part of your ‘aa’in’ isn’t well, then the other parts will likely be in the same state. That is why it is important to take care of all parts of your ‘aa’in’ to ensure health and happiness. 5. Aa’inmajaa - to care for ‘The Wayuunaiki word ‘aa’inmajaa’, which means to care for, is especially important for the Wayúu people whose culture is based on caring for others in the community. Many Wayúu women who earn an income through weaving will often use this to care for their children, their extended families, and many others who live in the same community. 6. A’lapüjaa - to dream ‘A’lapüjaa’ is not just dreaming for the Wayúu people, it is when their soul departs from their bodies to wander around and search for meaning. The soul which wanders will enter the realm of the spiritual, and there, ancestors will inform you if there is any member of the community who is unwell or who needs to be cared for. It is another way in which Wayúu people look out for each other. Meet Aminta: “I Have Over 65 Years of Experience as an Artisan” 7. Apüshi - matrilineal wisdom The concept of ‘apüshi’ for the Wayúu people is an essential part of their culture and it refers to when an elder woman passes down knowledge and wisdom to a younger woman. As women are seen to be the carriers of knowledge in the Wayúu community, through ‘apüshi’ they teach younger women about weaving, about ancestral wisdom and about their culture. We mustn't forget the beauty that the Wayúu language, Wayuunaiki is able to convey. Thanks to Wayuunaiki, the Wayúu people are able to express not just words but spiritual concepts that would be very difficult for them to communicate in other languages. Sources: ‘Gastronomía Wayúu engrandece al mayor pueblo indígena de Colombia’ El Tiempo ‘El Wayuumaiki, una lengua con 600.000 hablantes en riesgo de extinción’ Noticias ONU

Love in the Wayúu community comes in many different forms, and it can be very different from how we perceive love compared to other parts of the world. The meaning of love for the Wayúu goes beyond romantic love, and extends to family love, love for one’s craft, and love for all living things. It is a magical feeling that is a source of joy for the Wayúu people, and it is considered to be one of the fundamental values of their community alongside solidarity, responsibility and respect. Because love in many of its forms is a universal feeling, we wanted to share some facts about the meaning of love in the Wayúu community that you didn’t know before. 1. The Wayúu universe was born from love According to Wayúu mythology, the universe started to form after the rain, a masculine spirit, fell upon the earth, a feminine spirit, and they fell in love. They were so infatuated with each other that they had many children in the form of trees, and this was the beginning of the world we know today. 2. There is no word in Wayuunaiki for ‘love’ There is no specific word in the Wayúu language Wayuunaiki to say ‘love’, however when Wayúu people want to express their affection and love for someone, they use phrases of affirmation. Some common phrases are ‘aishtapura pya’ which means 'I like you a lot', or ‘anas mai’, which means 'you are the most beautiful thing'. 3. Dowry before marriage is still common For many Wayúu people, it is still important for the family of the son to pay a dowry as a sign of appreciation for the bride-to-be and to mark their status. Dowries in the Wayúu community mostly consist of necklaces, animals such as goats, donkeys and cows, and highly-valued woven items like ‘chinchorros’ or hammocks. Meet Guillermina: “I Am Passionate & Proud of My Craft” 4. Mediators play an important role in marriage Whether two Wayúu people decide for themselves or their families decide that they are a good match, it is important that the community mediator or the ‘palabrero’ ensures that things are done properly. The mediator, who is the most important person for resolving any issues or disputes between individuals and families, will ensure that the dowry provided to the woman’s family is sufficient. If the woman’s family has an issue, the mediator will attempt to negotiate between the parties involved in a balanced and impartial manner. 5. Female solidarity above all else The spiritual bond between mother and daughter, and women in general is very important for the Wayúu people. According to the concept of ‘apüshi’ or maternal wisdom, women must pass down ancestral knowledge and wisdom to the younger female generations with love and guidance. These bonds are considered superior to all others due to the spiritual importance women have in the Wayúu tribe. 6. Nature is respected and cherished Wayúu people believe that nature possesses both ‘energy of life’ and ‘energy of death’, just like human beings and animals. Everything that possesses this must be loved and respected because if it is not, it could retaliate in a negative way with its ‘energy of death’, causing community members to become unwell. Meet Sarnelis: “Creating Mochilas Fills Me With Joy” 7. Wayúu women weave with love Wayúu women take a long time to weave mochila bags. The average single thread bag can take up to a month to complete whilst a double thread bag can take up to 10 days, not counting the time it takes to make the finishings such as the straps, ties and tassels. Wayúu women put a lot of love and care into their craft as they see every mochila bag as a reflection of their heritage, meant to be shared with the world. 8. Polygamy is alive and well In the Wayúu community, polygamy is considered a status symbol that provides prestige for Wayuu men wealthy enough to possess multiple wives. Unfortunately, women are not permitted to take on multiple husbands. The concept is not very common but still allowed. The Wayúu’s perception of love, although different from the Western point of view, sheds light on concepts we can all take from. In the Wayúu community, it is a feeling that encompasses more than just marriage and romance. Female solidarity, family love, and love for their art are just a few examples of what it means to love 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