THE WAYUU MOCHILA The Evolution of the Colombian Mochila from a Religious Good to a Luxurious Commodity
Sergio Delgado Juliana Echavarria May 16, 2014 Parsons The New School for Design
Table of Contents 1. Methodology 2. Seven things 3. Legacy Map 4. Adopters 5. Scenarios 6. The Report 7. Bibliography
Methodology We decided to approach this Project initially in a strictly observational manner. Deciding our Project topic and finding the Mochilas’ key adopters was very much based on first hand experience as Colombians and adopters of the Mochila Wayuu. With our prior knowledge and belief of such a cultural phenomenon of the rising popularity of the Mochila, we began to set some key questions that we were interested in knowing about every group of adopters that we decided. We realized that our groups of adopters over time are based on economic classes. Therefore due to this remark, we began to focus our Project on the evolution of the Mochila from an indigenous good to a luxurious commodity. After setting some key questions we were interested in knowing, we began researching articles that could answer our questions and compliment our observations. After having our key information, doing the 7 things came next. With the seven things typed up it facilitated us to work on our legacy map and then rest of our Project. In the report we decided to compliment our research and observations with real life interviews, to two different types of adopters. One interview was made to Crsitina Rodriguez a person we know of our generation, and of high social strata to answer some questions about her adoption of the Mochila. The second interview we performed was to entrepreneur Maria Daza. Maria is Colombian but based in Miami and created her own line of Wayuu Mochilas. The Mochilas she sells are brought from the Wayuu tribes and then bedazzled by her and sold to an international market. Having these two different adopters helped us see different relationships that exist with the Mochila.
The Mochila’s 7 Things
An elaborate study of the use and significance of the Wayuu Mochila
What is it?
The Mochila is a multifunctional bag that originates from the indigenous Wayuu tribe, who are located in northern most tip of Colombia, La Guajira. The Mochila is an oval liked shaped woven bag attached to long wide strap, made from natural cotton fiber. The bag is only supposed to be made by Wayuu women and are woven in a variety of bright vivid colors with geometric shapes and ethnic patterns, that symbolize different religious deities. Even though the Mochila has evolved into a luxurious commodity, its original use by the Wayuu’s varied from carrying babies to stuffing it with coca leafs. Its religious and sacred significance is a reference to a women’s womb and is part of the tribes’ ritual for womanhood, although nowadays, it is strictly demanded by the masses for its stylistic elements as a unique ethnic summer accessory.
Who’s doing it?
The Mochila has evolved and been adapted by a variety of groups of adopters from all social systems and classes. Each adopter has added a different significant and use to the Mochila. The critical group of adopters, the original innovators, is the Wayuu’s. They have managed to sustain their traditional practices and techniques of weaving Mochila’s even in today’s market. Although the bag has no date of origin, the Mochila has preexisted before the Spanish conquest in Latin America. For the tribe, the Mochila is an object of immense
religious significance that not only takes part of different religious rituals but also represents the preservation of their heritage and traditions in a postmodern world. Although the Wayuu’s are the largest remaining tribe in Latin America, the Wayuu’s have been greatly affected by the modern world and its technologies causing its tribe to break apart and its traditions to be lost. They have been also subjected to acts of discrimination and rarely protected to the atrocities of the Colombian armed conflict, having them endure and live in conditions of deep poverty. Fortunately in the past twenty years or so, the Wayuu’s have been able to implement the Mochila and emerge themselves into the national Colombian economic market, without changing their traditions and their craftsmanship. In Colombia the first adopters of the Mochila after the Wayuu’s were considered to be the hippies and middle class socialist. It was the perfect bag for a hippie it was cheap, durable and was not gender oriented. Protesters and students from the Bogota state university would use them during the 60’s and 70’s and attach different pins and badges with different messages of peace and protest. Unfortunately the high demand for these hippie unisex bags began to be greatly demanded by the Colombian hippie youth and began to be replicated and massed produced in different black markets around the countries main cities. Clearly, the Colombian high class considered them to be cheap and of low social taste. It wasn’t until two decades ago that the Colombian high class began to adopt Mochilas. The high class
began to buy them due to that the Wayuu’s accomplished to demand the Colombian government to patent and protect indigenous crafts. This resulted the government on promoting traditional and folkloric goods in order to endorse Colombian identity and reduce fake Mochilas in different black markets, defending the indigenous heritage and local forms of production. Although It wasn’t until the implementation of the governmental institution “Artesanias de Colombia”, that the high class began to see the value and beauty in these bags. The institutions objective was to promote and protect indigenous communities by contributing to improve the tribes crafts sector by optimizing competitiveness but guaranteeing that tradition and culture are not lost instead sustained. “Artesanias de Colombia” was able to promote these crafts through the establishment of various luxurious stores around the country’s main cities. Through its fancy stores “Artesanias de Colombia” not only targeted a segment of the market of higher social strata but also endorsed the value of each products level of craftsmanship and authenticity. With this high level of demand from the high class for traditional products, Colombian designers had no time to loose in implementing folkloric goods into their collections. The designers began to see more of an opportunity of reflecting their own heritage and cultural identity instead of having to inspire on the fancy eclectic fashion world abroad, as they did in the past. Designers such as Hernan Zahar, Amelia Toro and Silvia Tcherassi began to incorporate indigenous motifs by implementing them with their own personal style in their runways. Silvia Tcherassi, one the most successful Colombian fashion designers in both a National and International level, began to adopt the Mochila and innovate it in
in a certain particular way. Tcherassi executed her own design of the Wayuu Mochila into bracelets, garments and of course bags. Tcherassi even applied Swarovski crystals to the thread of one of her collections of Mochila bags. This raised the price of a Mochila from the average price sold in “Artesanias de Colombia” from $70, to Tcherassi $5,000 dollar crystal engraved bag. The designer was able to reinvent the Mochila in such of way of turning it into an international winning bestseller. In Paris fashion week and Milan fashion week Tcherassi’s bag mesmerized the European public. People could not wait to get their hands on a Mochila, and they were willing to pay high amounts of money. Consequently at the same time as Tcherassi fame, Colombia was beginning to gain power in the international market as an up and coming country for investors. It became a more secure country under the mandate of president Alvaro Uribe and the markets ability to have one of the lowest inflation rates in Latin America compelled investors to explore its possibilities. Cartagena, a historical and colonial city in the coast of Colombia, began to attract an international public for its colorful walls that were most commonly described in the Nobel Prize winning novels of Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez. People were enchanted by its charm, which popularity quickly turned it into the new exotic hotspot it’s considered today. Cartagena not any different to any Colombian city, sold Mochilas as well. The international public, which began to include celebrities and socialites, could not wait to get a Mochila in every size in color; it was just the perfect unique summer accessory. One of these socialite’s, Lauren Santo Domingo, contributing editor at vogue and the daughter of the former CEO of Perrier Ronald Davis, fell in love with Cartagena and
the Wayuu Mochila. She married a Colombian millionaire, one of the few that exist, and began visiting Cartagena regularly. Their luxurious extravagant wedding was even hosted in Cartagena and was spoken about in every page six of New York and Colombia. Celebrities, socialites, royalty and international millionaires filled the colonial walls of Cartagena. Most of the guests had never been to Cartagena and were amazed by its beauty and ravaging colors. These guests not any different from Lauren were amazed with Mochilas and could not wait to bring one home from their travels. Lauren became a key adopter and opinion leader in the past decade. She not only increased the popularity of Cartagena by promoting its charm through her articles in different fashion magazines but became part of her viral social media page identity. Further more Santo Domingo, began to see the value of a Mochila and commercialize it to an international market properly without intervening with the Wayuu’s an their economy. Lauren created a beneficiary project in 2009 for the non-profit BeLive, where forty internationally renowned designers were proposed to redesign a traditional Wayuu Mochila. These designers varied from Alexander Wang to Oscar De La Renta. The Mochila’s were then displayed throughout Miami and auctioned out for thousands of dollars, where the money would go to benefit indigenous tribes in Colombia including the Wayuu’s. Santo Domingo, differently to earlier innovators and re-inventors, understood the significance and value of the Mochila. She commercialized and promoted in the proper manner where she not only displayed how beautifully stylized and unique these bags were but illustrated the importance of the Mochilas’ story, its past. She endorsed the fact that they are
they are woven by ingenious women in small tribes in the north of Colombia or the amount of level of craftsmanship it take to weave a Mochila, taking the women an average of a month to finish. Although Santo Domingo most importantly demanded respect for the bag and its authenticity for the tribe might be in root to extinction if their commerce continues to be exploited by thousand dollar replicas due to the fact that most people don’t acknowledge the significance a small colorful, woven bag might have in an entire community.
How does it work?
The artisans who make it, the Wayuu’s constantly say, “If it doesn’t fit into a Mochila, it doesn’t fit in life.” For the Wayuu’s the origin of the Mochila is mentioned in one of the tribe’s legends. It is said that there was women from the tribe who was not very attractive but was deeply in love with a man. So she asked him if she could work for him and have a place to stay and he accepted. One day accidently, the women eat the first pieces of sheepskin she received in order to weave household products for mans’ family. Suddenly at night she turned into a beautiful women called Wareker. The women had beautiful bright colored threads coming out of her mouth of which she began to fabricate the first Mochilas, with depicted different religious symbols. At the end the women conquered the man after he and his family found out the beautiful bags she had been weaving. Women in the Wayuu tribe make the bag and each Mochila is different from the other since each one is worked by only one individual
women, taking them about twenty days to a month to prepare them. Previously to the Spanish conquest, it was unknown of how the Wayuu’s weave their Mochilas. Although after the Spanish conquest, the catholic missionaries implemented the hook and needle system, today knows as crotchet and been used ever since. The bag is made of natural cotton fibers and is woven in a variety of colors and geometric patterns. The Mochila is a pretty simple bag, it is oval shaped has a long strap to hang on your shoulder and sometimes has a thin string with cotton tassels to tie it and close the bag. The bag can be used either by hanging it on your shoulder, which average length reaches your lower hip, or it can also be crossed over the head. Some Wayuu women even carry it by hanging it by their forehead, as weird as it sounds. The Mochila is soft so it does not scratch or bother the skin, like other Mochilas do from other tribes, which are made from sheepskin. The bag is a very functional size, which fits about two changes of clothing. It is very durable and can resist heavy amount of weight in it.
Why is it Significant?
The Mochila is a significant bag whose history is traced from hundreds of centuries ago. It is a bag that is vital to an entire tribe and their economic sustainability. The Mochilas’ origin has not been traced to a specific year so it is not certain what innovation preceded it, since there is so little historical record of the Colombian tribe. Today, the Mochila is a vital economic product within their micro-economy that helps an entire community prevent from going into extreme poverty. The Mochila is also valuable for its religious significance,
although its customers are often not aware of it, it is part of a community’s’ belief system. Being part of the tribes’ religious system, the bag and its production has helped sustain the Wayuu heritage, generation to generation. The bag is also extremely authentic with its bright colors and geometric patterns which are truly one of a kind. The Mochila is also a bag whose craftsmanship is part of its authenticity. Being a bag that is only supposed to be made by one women it can take an average of a month to make. The vital importance of the Mochila for the survival of the Wayuu tribe should be communicated more effectively. Its customers should demand its authenticity and its craftsmanship should be acknowledged. The bag has a comparative advantage over other bags which is it has history. It has a legend and is part of a ritual practice of a century old tribe of Colombia. This historical element should be embraced more and should be used to the advantage of its producers. The significance should be communicated more to its customers or by its vendors therefore giving the opportunity to the customer to have a bag that has a story, a story that can be told. Telling the story of the Mochila might not only increment sales but also strengthen the survival of the Wayuu’s by being heard and respected as a community.
What are its downsides?
The Mochila was created as a sacred object by a group of individual that today is forced to the margins of society. The Wayuu’s since the Spanish conquest have been brutally excluded and discriminated as if they were
animals. Although they still remain to be a strong tribe, the largest in Latin America, still to this day the government rarely protects them and their micro economy can barely sustain itself in order to maintain a community. The Mochila is part of this exploitation. The Mochila with the Wayuu’s have been treated as they have no rights and no ownership. Although the Wayuu’s recently are more protected by the Colombian government, their creations and their beliefs are not respected in the world today. The downside of its rapid growth is the late majority of the adopters, the socialites, international high class, and top line designers today, give little to none importance to the significance of the Wayuu Mochila. People today don’t care about how it’s made, by whom and what it exemplifies, they see it as a unique summer accessory and not a sacred object. Therefore the Mochila is a vulnerable object to the adaptation and replication of other innovators. Unfortunately the Mochila’s creators are a marginal group within Colombian society they have little power to demand their ownership of the Mochila, which puts in harm their existence as a societal group and the Mochila itself. Further more the downside of people not adopting in a local to international market might also put in harm the existence of the community since it’s a vital source of income to their economy. Mochila’s can be adopted properly it just consist on buying it directly to the artisans or from a legitimate vendor that recognizing the artisans work and creation, and compensates their crafts. If people see the value of authenticity in buying a real Mochila and made by a women of the Wayuu tribe the Wayuu’s micro economy is able to survive. By acknowledging its value people have to be willing to pay a higher price than a Mochila sold in the street or the black
market that has simply been mass produced. However people are not only paying for the amount of craftsmanship they are paying a higher price that contributes of maintaining the existence of entire social system, the Wayyu’s.
Where is it going?
The Mochila has great potential it is a unique object with a strong significance and strong cultural heritage. Although many Colombian don’t acknowledge their indigenous heritage its within each one duty to protect them and defend them as fellow Colombians. Although even so if the Colombian continue to adopt it in a adequate manner but the international community keeps adapting them and reinventing them by selling them for much higher prices, the Wayuu’s might seize to compete. Also if in the national market the Mochila keeps being produced by mass production and its customers conforming to buying it a lower price without acknowledging its authentic, the Mochila might also seize to exist. The next step for the innovation in order to protects its existence and its innovators is to promote its significance and origins extensively. The governmental institution “Artesanias de Colombia” has to take further measures in order to protect the ownership of the Mochila and not let other user appropriate it for being their designs. If the significance and craftsmanship is then emphasized in its marketing strategies it can even work as a comparative advantage, for being a bag with an undeniably unique story. If the Mochila is properly protected and marketed in both the international and national community it can help these marginal indigenous communities
to prosper, to gain some respect and to gain a voice. For example recently in Australia the first aboriginal fashion week was hosted. It was extremely popular and the public never thought to believe such remarkable creation, with a strong heritage in a post modern and commercial world.
Legacy Map WAYUU TRIBE
The Mochila Project
Lauren Santo Domingo created a beneficiary project in 2009 for the non-profit BeLive, where forty internationally renowned designers were proposed to redesign a traditional Wayuu Mochila. The Mochila’s were displayed throughout Miami and then auctioned out for thousands of dollars, where the money would go to benefit indigenous tribes in Colombia including the Wayuu’s. Santo Domingo saw the value of a Mochila and its potential to commercialize it to an international market properly, without intervening with the Wayuu’s an their economy.
MIDDLE CLASS
HIGH CLASS
COLOMBIAN DESIGNERS
international designers
THE MOCHILA PROJECT
SOCIALITES
Lauren Santo Domingo
New York socialite, Lauren Santo Domingo, contributing editor at vogue and the daughter of the former CEO of Perrier Ronald Davis, fell in love with Cartagena and the Wayuu Mochila. She married a Colombian millionaire, one of the few that exist, and began visiting Cartagena regularly. Lauren is a key opinion leader in the fashion world and of the Mochila itself. Their luxurious extravagant wedding was even hosted in Cartagena and was spoken about in every page six of New York and Colombia. Celebrities, socialites, royalty and international millionaires filled the colonial walls of Cartagena. Most of the guests had never been to Cartagena and were amazed by its beauty and ravaging colors. These guests not any different from Lauren were amazed with Mochilas and could not wait to bring one home from their travels.
Andres Santo Domingo
Socialites/Celebrities
With the increasing tourism in Colombia in the 2000’s and Cartagena as the new hot spot of Latin America on the map, a wider international public began to be interested in exploring Colombia and its charm. Cartagena not any different to any Colombian city, sold Mochilas as well. The international public in Cartagena, which began to include celebrities and socialites, could not wait to get a Mochila in every size in color; it was just the perfect unique summer accessory.
Cartagena
international clients
Silvia Tcherassi
Silvia Tcherassi is one the most successful Colombian fashion designers in both a National and International level. Tcherassi began to adopt the Mochila and innovate it in a certain particular way by executed her own design of the Wayuu Mochila into bracelets, garments and course bags HERNAN ZAJAR and even applying Swarovski crystals to one of her collecOne of Colombia’s most famous fashion designers and fashion tions of Mochilas. connoisseurs. His modern look on traditional Colombian garments have made him a favorite for local celebrities and socialites. His Autumn/Winter 2008 collection was based on the Wayuu Tribe, and the collection served as a tribute to the Wayuu Bag. His version of the Wayuu Bag AMELIA TORO became an instant success in Colombia.
Artesanias de colombia
high class
High Class
Artesanias de Colombia was created as a governmental institution in 1998 in order to protect and foment the art and crafts of the various indigenous tribes in Colombia. By establishing stores and large events around the country, Artesanias de Colombia contributes to the preservation of indigenous culture.
The high class adopted the Mochila with the establishment of Artesanias de Colombia and their efforts to promote indigenous craft through luxurious stores around the country. The stores not only targeted a segment of the market of higher social strata with its high prices, but also by endorsing the value of the products authenticity.
middle class
Use
The Wayuu Mochila varied in sizes and its purpose was for women to carry their babies or for the tribe members to stuff them with coca leafs for their treacherous journeys into high altitudes. Mochilas were also part of different ceremonial practices such as the ceremony for womanhood.
Significance
The Mochila represents a women’s womb and its origin is mentioned in one of the tribes’ legends. The legend tells the story of women who was not very attracted and conquered the man she was deeply in love with by the beautiful Mochilas she made. The women eat pieces of sheepskin and suddenly at night she turned into a beautiful women called Wareker. The women had beautiful bright colored threads coming out of her mouth of which she began to fabricate the first Mochilas, with depicted different religious symbols.
Tecniques
The Wayuu’s used sheepskin before the Spanish conquest where introduced organic cotton into their methods of production. Although the sheep skin Mochilas were more durable its texture was rough and prickly. Unfortunately there is no previous knowledge of the weaving techniques before the Spanish introduced the needle and hook.
Use
The use of the Mochila began to vary more after the Spanish conquest where it was massively commercialized to the public and was adopted for various purposes by different social classes.
Significance
The significance of the Mochila became to be blurred by the Spanish converting the tribes to Catholicism. The Mochila still remains to be significant by its craftsmanship but its legend seems to be forgotten today.
Wayuu protection
Replication of the Mochila extremely hurt the micro economy of the Wayuu tribe and created within them a feeling of resentment for appropriating their sacred bags for a different use in a commercial market. The Wayuus began to demand protection from the government for their intellectual property in order to preserve their culture.
Middle class
Replication
Due to the high demand for Mochilas by the Colombian middle class youth, Mochilas began to be replicated in a mass produced level and sold around Colombia.
Colombia began to gain power in the international market as an up and coming country for investors. It became a more secure country under the mandate of president Alvaro Uribe and the markets’ ability to have one of the lowest inflation rates in Latin America compelled investors to explore its possibilities. Cartagena, a historical and colonial city in the coast of Colombia, was enchanted by its charm, and its popularity quickly turned it into a new exotic hotspot it’s considered today.
The young hippies and middle class socialists were considered Colombia first group of commercial adopters. It was the perfect bag for a hippie it was cheap, durable and was not gender oriented. Protesters and students from the Bogota state university would use them during the 60’s and 70’s and attach different pins and badges with different messages of peace and protest. The increasing high demand for these hippie unisex bags began to be greatly demanded by the Colombian hippie youth and began to be replicated and massed produced in different black markets and flee markets around the countries main cities.
Techniques
With the Spanish conquest, the previous methods of weaving in the Wayuu tribe were replaced with the implementation of the needle and hook, crochet method. It facilitated the production of the Mochila and reduced the amount of time for weaving.
The Mochila is a multifunctional bag that originates from the indigenous Wayuu tribe, who are located in northern most tip of Colombia.
Sergio Delgado Juliana Echavarria
Adopter 1 high class
Early Majority Colombian High Class The high class adopted the Mochila with the establishment of Artesanias de Colombia and their efforts to promote indigenous craft through luxurious stores around the country. The stores not only targeted a segment of the market of higher social strata with its high prices, but also by endorsing the value of the products authenticity.
Adopter 2
Late Majority Silvia Tcherassi Silvia Tcherassi is one the most successful Colombian fashion designers in both a National and International level. Tcherassi began to adopt the Mochila and innovate it in a certain particular way by executed her own design of the Wayuu Mochila into bracelets, garments and course bags and even applying Swarovski crystals to one of her collections of Mochilas.
Adopter 3
Laggard
Lauren Santo Domingo Lauren Santo Domingo created a beneficiary project in 2009 for the non-profit BeLive, where forty internationally renowned designers were proposed to redesign a traditional Wayuu Mochila. The Mochila’s were displayed throughout Miami and then auctioned out for thousands of dollars, where the money would go to benefit indigenous tribes in Colombia including the Wayuu’s. Santo Domingo saw the value of a Mochila and its potential to commercialize it to an international market properly, without intervening with the Wayuu’s an their economy.
Scenario 1 Giovanna is 32 years old and is the heiress of one of the biggest tobacco empires in the world. She holds a degree in Design and Management and works as a fashion assistant in one of the biggest fashion publications in the world. She is very stylish, ambitious and career oriented. She knows what she likes and she is never afraid to say so, and to go get it. As a junior editor at this large fashion publication, Giovanna is always aware of the latest buzz. She wears the latest trends from the hottest designers, she is invited to the “must-be” events around the world, and she gets the best advice on the hottest places to see and to be seen. Two weeks ago, while having lunch at Aurora (Capri’s most exclusive restaurant) with her friends, she hears something that gets her attention. Everyone seems to be talking about this marvelous city in South America called Cartagena. She keeps on hearing how this city is not only spectacular, but also the best kept secret amongst the jet-setters/ globe-trotters around the world. From Karolina Kurkova to the Royal Family of Monaco, the world’s “crème de la crème” spend their summers in this magic pearl of the Caribbean. Giovanna automatically decides that Cartagena is her next destination. A week later, she lands in this magical land and immediately falls in love. From its breathtaking colonial walled city, to its mesmerizing blue waters, Cartagena is the hidden gem that she was looking for. One afternoon after tanning in her yate, Giovanna walks the pintoresque streets of the “old-city”. While admiring the beauty that the city itself has to offer, she finds love at first-sight. Not with a boy. She finds a stand owned by an old Colombian man. What’s special about this stand, is that it’s full of colorful handbags. It’s heaven for Giovanna. Not only did she found local handbags, but these were breathtaking. Colorful, with ethnic indescribable patterns, Giovanna feels like she has found Morgan’s treasure. These bags are the perfect accessory for her “summer” looks. No one knows about them outside the country where they are from (Colombia) and they are the perfect colorful accessories to have. And she, as a true fashionista, plans on impressing everyone back in New York with her new exotic colorful bags. Instead of getting just one, Giovanna (as a good shopaholic) gets 10 of them in different vibrant colors and patterns. She flies back to New York that same day, using one of her bags for the trip. While on her jet, Giovanna checks her schedule and finds out she has dinner at Alexander Wang’s studio. The designer invited his closest group of friends to an intimate dinner to celebrate his new venture with H&M. She lands and quickly goes to her loft to get a black slim fitted tuxedo and her favorite pair of Louboutins. As she goes through her accessories closet she gets the craziest idea. Why not using one of her Wayuu (she just found out that’s the name of the bags) bag for the dinner? It would be the perfect moment to wow everyone with her latest fashion discovery. Without doubting it twice, she runs to one of her Vuitton trunks, and gets out one of the bags. This one that has playful ethnic patterns in Neon Pink and Yellow goes just perfectly with her outfit. She strolls out of her loft with her all black look and wayuu bag in hand. As soon as she walks into the party everyone goes up to her and compliments her on the gorgeous bag she is carrying. Even Wang himself, finds himself completely obsessed with the mesmerizing patterns and colors of the bag. All of the fashion-conscious crowd that revolves around the room concludes the same: That bags is the latest MUST have bag, and for sure the most coveted item for the summer to come. Giovanna continues to parade herself around the city with her latest fashion innovation in hand. A true fashionista carrying a true fashionable accessory.
Scenario 2 Mareiwa is four years old. She lives in a small “Rancheria” in the northern tip of Guajira, Colombia. Her mother is the leader of the Rancheria, which in her community (the Wayuu Tribe which is a female based society) means that she is the main figure for part of the tribe. Tonight is no ordinary day for Mareiwa. She is turning five years old. For the majority of the population, turning five means nothing more than getting a new bicycle and a party with their friends. However, in the Wayuu community, turning five years old has a very special significance. Tonight Mareiwa leaves childhood behind. She does not become an adult yet, but in her fifth birthday she is to receive the most sacred object from the Wayuu community. She is to receive her first “Mochila Wayuu”. Mareiwa knows how big the responsibility of receiving her first mochila is. She is receiving her ticket into Wayuu womanhood. She is receiving an object that not only narrates the story of her ancestor’s through its patterns and designs, but that also is to represent an extension of her womb. From tonight on, Mareiwa joins her mother as the religious and leader figure of her community. However, Mareiwa knows that receiving her mochila bag also means that she is ready to join her mother and the community and work for communal good. When she receives her Mochila bag, Mareiwa will automatically enroll in the mochila production market. Together with her mother, Mareiwa is to continue the construction of these bags and to join the family tradition of creating these sacred elements, and when the time comes, deliver them to the young girls that live in their tribe. The night comes, and Mareiwa is just hours away from receiving her first mochila bag and turning five years old. Her older sisters come to her hammock, and explain to her the different elements that make up their mochila bags. They explain to little Mareiwa, that though they all have the same ancestors, each of them got a unique custom-made bag. That the colors that each Mochila has represent her soul’s colors, and that no matter what happened, she was to always hold on to her Mochila. From tonight on, the mochila was to become literally an extention of Mareiwa. Midnight arrives faster than what Mareiwa expected. Her mother walks over to her hammock, and see’s Mareiwa dressed in her pink tunic. She whispers to her ear a wise phrase in Wayunaiiki (The Wayuu Tribe official language) and holds her hand. The ceremony is ready, and its time for Mareiwa to join it. Mareiwa and her mother go to the big fire that shines in the middle of their Rancheria. The whole community is there, celebrating Mareiwa’s official introduction to the community. Her mother –as the religious leader of the tribe- starts singing traditional Wayunaiiki songs and paints Mareiwa’s face with WITO (A naturally made paint for the face). She draws some patterns in Mareiwa’s face; the same patterns that are carefully woven in her Mochila Bag. After finishing this part of the ritual, her mother hands her the bag. Mareiwa opens her eyes both in awe and in excitement. It’s even better than she pictured in her mind. It’s neon pink, with colorful patterns that include all of the colors of the rainbow. The strap has triangular patterns in all shades of orange. Mareiwa is excited, because she got a mochila from the “Sun god”. She knows this, because of the colors. Only “Sun Mochilas” (or mochilas that come from the Sun who is a god) are made in bright colors. Mareiwa receives her Mochila and looks back at her mother, who is smiling like a proud mother. The mother rests assured that the Wayuu Tradition made it through another generation, and Mareiwa proudly embraces her past, and through the bag introduces it into her future.
Scenario 3 Juan Carlos is a Twenty year old male, who studies literature in the state university of Bogota, Colombia. His father works as a manager in the local bank, and his mother stays home taking care of the family and its needs. He decided to study literature after he read One Hundred Years of Solitude by Nobel Price winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez in high-school. By the time he graduated he had read all major writers, and was already moving to a more “underground” scene of writers and poets. He was accepted into the literature program of the state university, after he wrote a compelling 80-page political essay in which he criticized the “local-bourgeoisie” and the order of the Colombian social structure. Finding his group of friends was an easy task for him. As opposed to his high-school friends, the literate college gang had the same tastes, ideals and aesthetic views that he had. Juan Carlos had finally found groups were he felt he could be whom he really was. With his friends they do what the literate group is supposed to do. They get together in small coffee shops and pubs to read and discuss not only their readings but also the political situation of the country and of the world. Becoming part of the group also means that Juan Carlos starts adopting the group’s “uniform”. He begins wearing torned jeans with hoodies and sneakers. However the biggest adoption he makes is starting to use a mochila bag that all of his friends carry around. Before going to college, Juan Carlos had never realized how popular this Mochila bag was amongst Colombians. Of course he knew about the bag, and about the ancestral heritage the bag represented for some indigenous communities in isolated areas of Colombia. But he had never considered the idea of using one of these in his daily life. However, as soon as he started attending college he realized that this bag was vastly popular amongst Colombians. Specially amongst all of his friends. All of them carry their belongings in this bags, and all of them own one that no matter the occacion, they always wear it. The next morning, Juan Carlos woke up early and went to one of the many artisanal markets that are available in Bogota. He gets there and finds himself face to face with not one, but thousands of different options of Mochilas. However he knows which one he wants. He wants the traditional Wayuu Mochila. The one that all of his friends use because its large and they can carry all of their literature books while looking cool with it. Juan Carlos leaves the market and the first thing he does is to take his 10 books, his pack of cigarretes and his keyes and put them all inside his brand new Mochila. He walks to school feeling cool with his new Mochila.
Report
Interviewing an Early Adopter Cristina Rodríguez is a twenty-one year old student, who lives in Bogota, Colombia with her mother and dog. She attends Colombia’s most prestigious university, and graduated from one of the best high schools in South America. Q. When did you get your first Wayuu Mochila? M. I got my first Wayuu Mochila when I was Fifteen years old. It was a gift from my mother, who fell in love with the vibrant colors. She thought it was the perfect accessory for me, and it was. Q. Where you conscious of the religious importance that the Mochila Wayuu holds for the Wayuu Tribe? M. No, I had no idea of the significance and relevance that this Mochilas has for the Wayuu Tribe. My mom on the other hand knew more about the tribe and about the importance that the Mochila holds. She knew that the Mochilas are hand-woven and that it takes special craft to build the original ones. That’s why when she gave it to me, I felt as if she was giving me a Louis Vuitton bag… because I had an idea of how special this bags are. Q. So you saw (and see) the Mochila as a high-class accessory? M.Yes I do. I am conscious that it is also part of an indigenous tribe, but everyone in Colombia’s society owns the Mochilas and uses them in their everyday lives and for events as well. Before I received mine, I saw my mother and all of her friend’s using their Mochilas when they went for lunch or to daylight events. Ever since, I dreamt of owning my own Mochila and looking like my mother and her friends.
Q. Do your friends own Wayuu Mochilas? M.Yes, all of my friends own Wayuu Mochilas and
hey own more than one. They use them all day long, whether it’s going to the beach or lunch with friends. The bags are informal yet stylish and comfortable. Q. Would you ever buy a “replica” Wayuu Mochila? M. No, I would never, because I understand that the Wayuu Mochila is a very special item for the Wayuu Tribe. I understand that several Wayuu families depend on the income they get from the Mochilas they sell. I am also conscious of the fact that the original bag takes more than 72 hours to be woven, and that it is 100% hand-woven. I appreciate the Wayuu Mochila and everything that encompasses it, and therefore I would never support the replica market. Q. What do you think of people who buy replica Wayuu Mochilas? M. Well, the people from my social group would never buy a replica bag. I don’t judge anyone, but I would clearly know that they are not from my background. Q. What is the best thing about the Mochila Wayuu? M. My favorite aspect of it is that it allows you to have a very valuable accessory, and yet pass unnoticed.You are not carrying a designer handbag, that has logos all around or that shows the brand in some way; yet you’re carrying a bag that has almost the same degree of labor than an (Hermes) Birkin bag. My second favorite aspect of the Wayuu Mochila is that it is extremely comfortable without ignoring style.
Bibliography 1. Lauren Santo Domingo, “The Mochila Project”, Vogue, November 18, 2009, http://www.vogue.com/vogue-daily/article/vd-the-mochila-project-1/#1 a.This article in Vogue Magazine by Lauren Santo Domingo, the creator of The Mochila Project, explain ing the Mochila Project and the importance of Cartagena as an emerging hot spot. 2. Jane Fairfax, “The ‘Mochila’ Factor”, The City Paper, January 16, 2013, http://thecitypaperbogota.com/culture/ the-mochila-factor/ a. The City Paper is a Colombian journal for Americans living in the United States. The article explains very concisely a brief history of the Mochila and the popular trend it has become over the years, nationally and internationally. It also states the average price for authentic Mochila in dollars. 3. “The Mochila Project”, http://www.prabalgurung.com/the-journal-detail.php?blogid=393 a.This clothing website Prabal Gurung gives a brief explanation of the Mochila Project created by Lauren Santo Domingo and where and when it was launched. 4. Karin Nelson, “Mochila Bags: In the Moment, and Long Gone”, The New York Times, http://www.nytimes. com/2010/07/01/fashion/01NOTICED.html?_r=1& a.The New York Times article explains the phenomenon of the popularity of Mochila’s and how it has been greatly influenced by Lauren Santo Domingos, “Mochila Project”. 5.“La Guajira”, http://guajira.weebly.com/economy.html a. This website briefly describes different aspects of the Guajira state in Colombia. It explains the econo my, the ethnic group, the language and different cultural elements of the Wayuu tribe within la Guajira, Colombia. 6. “The Wayuu Mochila”, Aboriginal Arts LLC, http://aboriginalarts.hubpages.com/hub/ HELP-FOR-WAYUU-INDIAN-WOMEN-ON-THE-INTERNATIONAL-DAY-OF-INDIGENOUS-COMMUNITIES a.This American group, represents authentic indigenous communities and Colombia and distributes their goods internationally but taking into consideration the economic dependency of Wayuu Communities. The article gives interesting information about the craftsmanship of a Mochila and the process it takes to weave a Mochila. 7. “How a Wayuu Bag is Made”, Wayuu Mochila Bag, http://www.wayuumochilabag.com/wordt-wayuu-bag-gemaakt/?lang=en a. This European store distributes Mochila’s internationally, and gives a brief description of the techniques and materials used to make a Mochila. 8. February 26, 2014, Post on Blog, “Made in Colombia”, My Small Hours Blog, http://mysmallhours.co/tag/ south-america/ a. This recent blog by a New York photographer amateur, writes a charming article on her experience in Cartagena and gives important points on the evolution of the Mochila and its changing techniques. 9. “Mochilas Wayuu”, Artesanias Autenticas Colombianas, http://ventamochilaswayuu.blogspot.com/2013/05/ novedades.html a. This Colombian website that sells authentic indegenious craft gives a detailed explanations oft the char acteristics of an authentic Wayuu Mochila and how it is made. 10. Reynis Montaño and Sandra Guerrero, “El Secreto De la Mochila Wayuu”, El Heraldo, http://www.elheraldo. co/tendencias/el-secreto-de-la-mochila-wayuu-62023 a. This article in Colombian newspaper El Heraldo explains the Wayuu legend of the origin of the Wayuu Mochila and why it is religious significant to the tribe.