The Wayuu are the largest single native group in Venezuela and live on both sides of the border with Colombia. Their ancestral home in the Guajira Peninsula is a harsh land of hot sun and baking deserts and they live from herding goats and sheep, fishing, hunting and the weaving of colourful hammocks and bags, called susu. They refuse to recognize the border which separates the two countries and are also famed for their smuggling activities. The women paint their faces to protect them from the sun and wear brightly-coloured mantas, baggy dresses which reach to the floor.
Wayuu Myth 1: The Way of the Dead Indians
Wayuu Myth 2: Pulowi and the Jewels
Wayuu Myth 3: Kasipoluin the Rainbow
Wayuu Myth 4: The Origin of Fire
