ABOUT

The making of a Wayuu bag

A Wayuu bag is always made by just one woman from a Colombian tribe. For this reason there are many different styles and techniques to make a bag depending how they feel when they make one. This also mainly depends on the location where the bag is made, these are from La Guajira.

Handmade Wayuu bag are being made with the use of just natural materials. These materials are of course different for each region, and the same goes for the bags.
It takes three to four weeks to make one Wayuu bag.

For the makers it is a way though to express their culture and their values. Because of the extraordinary designs and colours, every bag is a piece of art. And besides their good looks, the Wayuu bags are also very practical!

The legend that led to the Wayuu bag

It is a well-known fact that every mochila bag made by the Wayuu tribe is unique. But how are these bags actually made? And what’s the reason that the women of the Wayuu tribe spend so much time weaving and knotting? The reason for this is all in a legend: the Wale’keru.

Wale’keru is a spider that has taken on the shape of a beautiful woman at a certain moment. She’s very good at weaving, just like the Wayuu. She was so good even, that the Wayuu still try to uncover her secrets!

Besides that, she is also a teacher who has carried on her knowledge to the women of the Wayuu tribe.