In the past few years, hand-woven bags from Colombia have quietly become popular in European and American fashion circles, and then spread to Asia. This craze can be traced back to the "Mochila Project" in 2009. The project was initiated by Lauren Domingo, editor of the American Vogue fashion magazine. She brought designers to  the tribes in the northeast of Colombia to learn weaving from the women of the tribes, hoping to reinterpret traditions with contemporary design techniques. Later, said works were exhibited in Miami and unexpectedly fetched high bids at auction, changing the tribe's fortunes.

Since the Wayuu bag was unveiled at the auction, it has become a trend in European and American fashion circles. Many European and American stars such as singer Katy Perry and Victoria's Secret supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio have been photographed by paparazzi with their backs on their backs. In recent years, this trend has gradually spread in the popular culture of various countries. Korean stars Shin Hye and Song Ji Hyo are paired with Wayuu bags in Korean dramas, and Taiwanese Sun Yunyun also carried one when she went to Australia for a beach vacation.

The artifact tradition of the indigenous Wayúu

The Wayúu bags that have taken the lead in the fashion industry are in fact daily essentials for the Wayúu communities and are all handmade by females in the tribes. The Wayúu females learn how to weave from the young age, and the weaving techniques are handed down by mothers to daughters, grandmas to granddaughters. Apart from learning the techniques, the female members also need to create new patterns, which are unique to each family; therefore, the weaving craft also symbolizes the heritage from generation to generation. The craft of making fabric also means the initiation into adulthood for local female; one is truly a full-grown woman when she has learned how to weave.
 

There is a folktale about the origin of the weaving craft in the Wayúu tribes. Legend has it that there was a man who was in love with a spider. One day, the man’s mother collected some cotton and gave it to the spider as a gift. The spider swallowed the cotton then spun and wove beautiful patterns with her silk threads. The native folks were enchanted and would like to own the patterns, but there was only one industrious woman who didn’t give up when everyone else did learned the art of weaving from the spider. The spider taught the woman how to weave and the woman passed on the knowledge to the others in the communities; hence the art of the weaving became the artifact tradition of Wayúu communities. The spider was called Waleker which means ‘the weaver spider’ and it therefore became the brand names of many apparel companies nowadays.

The Wayúu indigenous tribe that straddles the Venezuela-Colombia border

The Wayúu are an Amerindian ethnic group who are offspring to the Arawak of South America and the Caribbean. About 3,000 years ago the Wayúu nomadized around the Amazon, the Antilles, and the La Guajira area before they later on settled in the Guajira Peninsula in northernmost part of Colombia and northwest Venezuela on the Caribbean Sea coast. The Wayúu population resides in the area numbered approximately 400,000 the present day.
 

The Wayúu indigenous tribe is located in the desertic Guajira Peninsula which is arid and forbidding due to lack of rainfall. Not so long ago there were three solid years of complete drought due to El Niño and the extreme climate. To make matters worse, local mining industry and dam construction obstructed the access to the Rancheria River which natives reply on for livings. Without clean and sustainable water access from the river, local inhabitants have to walk for 3 hours before they can obtain water from nearest wells.
 

The Wayuu territory spans the remote cross-border badlands between Colombia and Venezuela, a region long dependent on international aid to address chronic socio-economic challenges. In recent years, several smaller communities have begun exploring sustainable tourism, hoping to alleviate the cycles of poverty and hunger.

Through the arrangements of local NGO partners, Southern Corner visited a traditional Wayuu homestead, known as a ranchería. To prevent their livestock from mingling with those of neighboring clans, these settlements are spaced far apart. The structures are ingeniously built using mud and the lignified skeletons of cacti, while fences made of thorny cacti form a formidable natural barrier, protecting the sanctuary of their homes.

After lunch, we reclined in Chinchorros—traditional Wayuu hammocks—within a semi-outdoor living area, listening to our hosts share the heritage of their people. The Wayuu are a primarily matrilineal society, where community settlements (rancherías) are named after the mother's lineage. At least five families sharing the same maternal surname reside together in a single homestead. Women hold pivotal roles as the primary decision-makers and inheritors of the clan, while the maternal uncles also serve as key leaders within the family hierarchy.

A significant rite of passage for Wayuu girls begins at puberty, during which they undergo a period of seclusion in a small cabin that can last from several months to over a year. Under the guidance of their mothers, grandmothers, or aunts, they master the intricate patterns of Wayuu weaving and learn the responsibilities of family life, away from any contact with men. Most Wayuu girls begin playing with crochet hooks as early as age three, imitating the rhythmic motions of their elders. Consequently, nearly every woman in the tribe is born a master weaver.

Material and weaving techniques of Wayúu bags

Traditionally, the raw material of Wayúu bags were mainly Algodón salvaje, a sort of wild cotton, maguey, or wool, and the dyes contain the fruits of cactus and Iguaraya. Nowadays the Wayúu bags are mostly made of cotton yarns. Tradition material are still used by some of the clans. 
 

Kannas

The patterns in Wayúu bags are exquisite and one of a kind; they are called Kannas in Wayuunaiki. Each woman has her own unique Kannas when creating, which are usually inspired by their daily life stories and portrait their admiration for nature, their understanding of the universe, or their stands toward life. Every Kannas has its significance, showcasing the female artisans’ unique artful thoughts. The Kannas compilation of different artisan rarely duplicate, which also makes the Wayúu mochilas so exceptional.

Tapizada

Distinct from the classic woven bags of Colombia, the Wayuu communities in Venezuela have developed a unique style of embroidered bags. Utilizing a punch needle technique, artisans embellish the bags with vivid motifs such as toucans and tropical flora. These intricately textured pieces have become modern favorites, cherished for their vibrant aesthetic and the masterful fusion of traditional symbols with contemporary appeal.

The Wayúu bags originated from the Wayúu indigenous community in Colombia, South America are daily essentials for the Wayúu. Each style of the mochilas is one of a kind and all hand-crocheted by native female artisans. Every mochilas bag unveils the charms of the Wayúu indigenous artifact tradition.