Description
The making of Wayuus bags is based on ancestral know-how
Our colorful and authentic Wayuu bags (or “mochila”, in spanish), are traditional bags handcrafted by the Wayuu, who use ancestral weaving technics. The Wayuu are native people of Colombia who live in the northeast of the country, in the desert of La Guajira.
We strive to support them, as they are struggling to survive in their harsh environment, and as their living conditions have only worsened following several years of drought. Indeed, the economy of the Wayuu people is traditionally based on goat farming. But the lack of water has made this impossible and most of them live under the poverty line. Selling crafts represents today one of their sole source of revenue.
Therefore purchasing one of our bags will contribute to the welfare of this tribe.
Some of the bags are woven by two strands of thread. It takes around ten days to make one.
Others are tightly woven by a single strand of thread, so the process is longer and takes around 3 weeks. One thread bags are made in the purest tradition. These bags are part of the few products using an ancestral knowledge that has obtained the “Protected Designation of Origin” (Denominacion de Origen Protegida).
Each bag is totally hand made and thus unique. Slight variations or imperfections are due to the traditional manufacture.
