Wayuu Religion

The Wayúu inhabit the arid Guajira Peninsula that straddles the Venezuela-Colombia border on the Caribbean Sea coast. Two major rivers flow through this mostly harsh environment. The Rancheria River in Colombia and the El Limón River in Venezuela are the main source of water for the Wayúu, supplimented by artificial ponds designed to retain rain water during the rainy season. Although the Wayuu were never subjugated by the Spanish, the two groups were in a perpetual state of war. There were rebellions in 1701, 1727, 1741, 1757, 1761 and 1768. Of all the Indigenous peoples in the territory of Colombia, the Wayúu were unique in having learned the use of firearms and horses in warfare. Lasting evangelization of the Wayuu people began in in 1887 with the return of Capuchin friars. In 1905, Pope Pius X created the Vicariate of La Guajira in an attempt to "civilize" the Wayúu people. Families in the Wayuu culture are divided into clans. The Wayúu are polytheistic and their gods represent varied aspects of their society: good, evil, procreation, and the forces of nature. The central figure of Wayúu religion is Maleiwa (God) creator of the world, the the Wayuu, and the founder of society. Pulowi and Juya, spiritual beings, are a married couple associated with procreation and life. Pulowi is a female deity related to the wind and dry seasons/ Juya a male, is a nomad god related to hunting who is seen as a powerful killer. Wanülu is an evil spirit that causes illness and death. Wayúu gods are featured in important life milestones such as birth, death, and puberty in girls. The Wayuu believe that life does not end with death, but that a relationship with one's bones continues. Burials are very important. The relatives of the dead must bury a body with its personal belongings. After five years, the bones are exhumed and placed into ceramics vessels or a chinchorro (hammock), and are then reburied in a clan's cemetery. In Wayúu culture, the dance of the Yonna is an ancestral ritual that is celebrated during important occurrences: when crops are harvested, when a harvest is abundant, to thank Maleiwa for something that is beneficial to the community, or the end a period of confinement after a girl’s first menstruation. This dance involves a woman trying to step on the feet of a man she is chasing as members of the community play music on a drum. Within the Wayúu community, healers are considered to be highly spiritual beings due to their ability to communicate with the ancestral spirits who provide them with information about illnesses and their cures. Most healers tend to be women, as they are considered to be more sacred than men in Wayúu culture, but men can also serve as healers.