Jiër, The Wayuu Woman

On February 2015, I visited La Tuna, an indigenous community in Manaure, La Guajira, at the northern part of Colombia. The Wayuu people have a strong bond to their land, which they inherited from family clans. I stayed with a family of strong women; they have a very important role because, as a matrilineal society, they are the ones in charge of preserving the Wayuu culture.

Wayuu women, as givers of life, not only assure the continuity of their lineage but also the permanence of Wayuu existence. They are in charge of teaching and transmitting the spiritual and traditional aspects of the Wayuu life and culture. It is believed that Wayuu women have a special connection with the spirits and that they have the power to interpret the dreams for future predictions.