Kitesurfing
Wayuu Bags
Colombian Indigenous Wayuu handbags
Wayuu bags are world famous for their beauty and craftmanship!
Also known as Wayuu mochila bags, are beautiful handcrafted, crocheted pieces created by the indigenous Wayuu people who inhabit the arid expanse of the La Guajira Desert in northern Colombia. These are cultural representations that they have been weaving for centuries deep in the harsh and magical Guajira Desert.
The distinctive Wayuu bag design that comes out of the desert
No two bags are identical! The Wayuu bags come in amazing labyrinthine designs that showcase incredible creativity with their geometric patterns. Furthermore, the brightly colored bags stand out vividly against the ocher-hued desert.
What materials do the Wayuu use to make their handbags?
The main material used for crocheting the bags is acrylic yarn. This material is the best for its strength and resistance to the harsh desert climate. In addition, they sometimes use cotton and nylon, but acryclic is the most prized material for its resistance to the scorching sun and howling winds they must endure in the desert.
There are 2 types of weaving techniques
Wayuu bags come in 2 types of crocheting, there’s the 1 thread and there’s the 2 thread. The 1 thread creates a softer feel and takes a month to weave. Henceforth, they are considerably more expensive than the 2 thread bag, which is beautiful and sturdy and each one takes a week to weave. They also come in different sizes, small (perfect for carrying a cell phone and wallet), medium, and large.
The women are the artisans that create the amazing Wayuu bags
In Wayuu society, women play the strongest roles and are in charge of safeguarding their traditions and passing their cultural legacy down. They are the amazing artists that create the beautiful bags. The Wayuu are a matriarchal society, where each clan has a female leader, not the men.
Wayuu bags straight from the source deep in the Guajira Desert
Want to own an original Wayuu bag straight from the Guajira Desert?
We’ll send it to you!
We regularly do tours into the Guajira Desert and one of the many attractions in the deep expansive desert is to stop by and visit with the friendly Wayuu communities. This is a precious opportunity to not only interact and learn about their ancient culture, but also to buy some of the treasures they create –directly from the families and communities that will benefit from the trade.
If you want to purchase one of these bags but can’t make it on tour, just let us know from the pictures on our website what type of design you are interested in and we will send you one!
Just leave us your WhatsApp number and one of our guides will video call you from the desert and let you choose (our vehicles have Starlink antenas so no problem there) and you can even say hello to the lady Wayuu artisan that wove your bag! Then after the desert expedition ends we’ll Fedex internationally your bag or bags and you will have them within a week!
Prices for the Wayuu bags:
- Medium size 2 thread solid color ……… $50 USD
- Medium 2 thread design in browns ……… $60 USD
- Large 2 threads solid color ………………… $85 USD
- Large 2 threads designs in color ………….. $100 USD
- Large 1 thread designs ………………………….. $280 USD
And don’t forget all our other cool stuff!
