Text displaying the word 'Wayuu' in a stylized font.

A Culture Woven Into Every Thread

The Wayúu are an Indigenous, matriarchal people from Colombia’s Guajira Peninsula, known for their resilience and deep connection to the land. According to legend, weaving was taught by Waleker, the mythical spider—transforming it into a sacred, generational art.

Each handcrafted mochila—or susu, meaning “what walks with you”—carries symbolic patterns called Kanaas. These abstract designs reflect everyday life, nature, and Wayúu’s beliefs, blending myth and memory into a visual language.

More than accessories, Wayúu bags are living heritage—woven stories of identity, tradition, and cultural pride.

Person wearing a floral headscarf and dress, holding knitting needles with yarn, smiling.
Table listing kanas' names with meanings and corresponding representations or images. Five rows include: Antaajiraasü meaning "They intersect" with a green pattern, Atsanto'uyaa meaning "Double elbow" with a red pattern, Iiwo'uyaa meaning "Like the stars that announce the arrival of rain" with a teal pattern, Jañuleky meaning "Double-headed fly" with a black and white pattern, and Jañuleky again meaning "Fly's head" with a similar black and white pattern.
Text reading "The Kankuamo Mochila"
A person wearing a light-colored hijab and dress, holding colorful, patterned handbags. The background is a plain, white curtain.

A Sacred Thread of Culture and Creation

For the Kankuamo people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the mochila is far more than a bag—it is a symbol of the universe itself. Woven in a spiral, it reflects the fertile womb of Mother Earth, the origin and end of all life. Carried everywhere, it is an essential companion in daily life and a profound expression of identity.

Traditionally woven by women, mochilas are also a gesture of love and connection—crafted during courtship as a sign of skill and character. Across Kankuamo life, the mochila holds deep ceremonial significance, used in rituals like baptisms, healing, coming-of-age, marriage, and even death.

Nine abstract geometric designs labeled in Spanish, including "Diseño hoja," "Diseño Camino," "Diseño Cambiro," "Diseño Cerro," "Diseño Costila," "Diseño Caracol," "Diseño Dominó," and "Diseño Ramo." Each design features bold lines, patterns, and shapes in black and gray on a light background.

Woven with Ancestral Wisdom

According to Kankuamo tradition, the art of weaving was a sacred gift from spiritual beings like “The Weaver” and “Dugao.” In their creation story, the supreme spirit Kankanuarúa formed the world and its people by scattering corn across the land, later gifting women the knowledge of weaving to live in harmony with nature.

Inspired by the oropendola bird’s hanging nest, the mochila’s form reflects both creativity and connection to the earth.

Made from natural fibers like fique or wool, each Kankuama Mochila carries symbolic patterns—spirals for time and life, mountains and paths for nature and spirit. These designs once marked lineage and identity, a visual language passed down through generations.