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Description
Two Wayuu women in La Guajira, Colombia. La Guajira is a department (similar to what would be identified as a state) in the northeast region of Colombia. It occupies an area bordered by Venezuela and the Caribbean Sea. Riohacha is the capital of La Guajira. La Guajira is known for its deserts, Caribbean coastal regions, sand dunes, fishing villages and its indigenous people (such as the Wayuu people). The Wayuu people are seminomadic Amerindians who occupy coastal and desert regions in La Guajira. They live in settlements on a peninsula bordered by Colombia, Venezuela, and the Caribbean Sea to the north. Wayuu women live in matrilineal societies in which women have dominant roles in households. Some women earn a living through farming, vending, or weaving craft items for sale. The Wayuu women are known for weaving hammocks and the unique embroidered mochilas (handbags) they create. It takes approximately three weeks for each woman to complete the intricate designs of mochilas. They are usually influenced by the Wayuu culture. The tradition is of such significance that the skills are usually passed down from mothers to daughters. The matrilineal structure of the Wayuu people is such that the children’s names and the clan with which they identify are from their mother’s lineage. Children are usually given three names; a Wayuu name predominantly used by the maternal relatives, a Catholic name, and a Spanish name. Dos mujeres wayú en La Guajira, Colombia. La Guajira es un departamento (similar al que se identificaría como un estado) en la región noreste de Colombia. Ocupa una zona bordeada por Venezuela y el Mar Caribe. Riohacha es la capital de La Guajira. La Guajira es conocida por sus desiertos, regiones costeras del Caribe, dunas de arena, pueblos pesqueros y sus pueblos indígenas (especialmente el pueblo wayú). Los wayú son amerindios seminómadas que ocupan las regiones costeras y desérticas de La Guajira. Viven en asentamientos en una península que limita con Colombia, Venezuela y el Mar Caribe al norte. Las mujeres wayú viven en sociedades matrilineales en las que las mujeres tienen roles dominantes en los hogares. Algunas mujeres se ganan la vida cultivando, vendiendo o tejiendo artículos de artesanía para la venta. Las mujeres wayú son conocidas por tejer hamacas y las singulares mochilas bordadas (bolsos) que crean. Cada mujer tarda aproximadamente tres semanas en completar los intrincados diseños de las mochilas que suelen ser influidos por algún aspecto de la cultura wayú. La tradición es de tal importancia que las habilidades generalmente se transmiten de madres a hijas. La estructura matrilineal del pueblo wayú es tal que los nombres de los niños y el clan con el que se identifican son del linaje de su madre. A los niños se les suele dar tres nombres; un nombre wayú usado predominantemente por los parientes maternos, un nombre católico y un nombre español.
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