How I fell in Love,
with a Bag...
It all started over a decade ago when my friend Nina brought beautiful Wayuu handbags to my shop in Nosara, Costa Rica from Colombia.
It was love at first sight with the Wayuu Mochilas. Nina explained how the bags were handmade by an indigenous tribe run by woman who lived near the sea in northern Colombia. I imagined the Wayuu as a tribe of mermaids, hand weaving these intricate bags🧜♀️ in their matriarchal society, running the show and telling the men folk what to do.
This tribe of talented women who make the bags have passed on their knowledge of weaving from mother to daughter for thousands of years. It’s matriarchal because the woman is the artist and in this particular tribe she makes the money and therefore is in charge.
Wayuu mochilas embody a tradition of handmade art, weaving history in the form of bright colors and intricate designs. Each bag is made with locally grown cotton and every image has a meaning that stems from ancient cosmology and beliefs.
The contemporary fashion world is now working hand-in-hand with the Wayuu since the bags have been trending. The Wayuu bags are an eclectic mix of women helping women and wearable art, there’s no wonder why we fall in love with them.
Please check out our new collection of Wayuu handbags online or at Nativa Gallery in Nosara, Costa Rica.
** Visit Nina Arias at La Gitana Del Mar Beach Resort @gitanadelmarbeachresort for a Colombian vacation of a lifetime.
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