LA GUAJIRA
The territory of the Wayuu ethnic group is located mainly in the Peninsula of La Guajira, to the north of the department of the same name, which in turn is located in the extreme north of Colombia. This region is known as Alta Guajira and is largely made up of the municipality of Uribia, whose urban center is separated by 90 km of road from Riohacha, the capital of the department. You can get to Riohacha from Bogota by plane in an hour and a half flight or by bus in a twenty-hour trip traveling 1400 kms. The areas visited on average are at sea level, with the exception of some small mountain ranges, such as the Serranía de Macuira with maximum heights of 850 meters. It is a semi-arid and desert region, with strong winds that prevent the accumulation of surface water sources. Scarce vegetation, where cactus and cardonal predominate. The mountainous areas with average heights of 600 m.s.m. supply the freshwater region, as is the case of Macuira, an exotic ecosystem of cloud forest in the middle of the desert. The average temperature is 29 ° C, classified as hot and dry, with rainy cycles in two well-defined seasons; The rainy season is between May and June of the first semester and October to November of the second semester. The rest of the year there is a dry season. There are modifications of the sea breezes, caused by the northeast trade winds that blow during most of the year, making variations in these cycles.
This peninsula, due to its geographical position, as the first continental advance on the Caribbean Sea, added to the condition of natural harbor of its bays and its natural riches, made this territory one of the most important possessions for trade and the geopolitical stability of the world between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The great commercial and military activity of this period was added to the nomadic tradition of hunters and gatherers of the Wayuu indigenous community that inhabited these rugged pampas, initiating a process of interculturation, contrary to what happened to the vast majority of the population Native American, strengthened the local community. Thus, the path towards sedentarization begins.
In the midst of the dispute over control of the Caribbean between Spaniards, English, Dutch and French The hardened bands of hunters, soon have access to the horse, firearms, herds of goats and cattle, which puts them in a position of resistance to the continuous attempts of the Spanish crown to subdue them and control the ports and their big banks of pearls. This resistance is maintained in such a way that the Wayuu people and the peninsula play a transcendental role During the independence and the young republican life.
It is only until the end of the fourteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, when the Capuchin missions achieve, penetrate the territory and found the first evangelizing missions; however, the strength of the Wuayuu’s cultural traits remains and, on the contrary, they continue to appropriate the commerce and technological advances that modern life brings, at a time when they are strengthened by the conquest of their constitutional recognition, which gave them back the legal control of its territory, through the geopolitical figure of Indigenous Resguardo. They are then the Wayuu one of the most important living cultural traditions of America, which still retains the soul of its cultural identity and its natural environment.
This peninsula, due to its geographical position, as the first continental advance on the Caribbean Sea, added to the condition of natural harbor of its bays and its natural riches, made this territory one of the most important possessions for trade and the geopolitical stability of the world between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The great commercial and military activity of this period was added to the nomadic tradition of hunters and gatherers of the Wayuu indigenous community that inhabited these rugged pampas, initiating a process of interculturation, contrary to what happened to the vast majority of the population Native American, strengthened the local community. Thus, the path towards sedentarization begins.
In the midst of the dispute over control of the Caribbean between Spaniards, English, Dutch and French The hardened bands of hunters, soon have access to the horse, firearms, herds of goats and cattle, which puts them in a position of resistance to the continuous attempts of the Spanish crown to subdue them and control the ports and their big banks of pearls. This resistance is maintained in such a way that the Wayuu people and the peninsula play a transcendental role during the independence and the young republican life.
The Serranía de Macuira, turned into a National Natural Park by the Ministry of the Environment, is the main milestone of the journey through its biodiverse singularity in the middle of this arid region. Uribia is also the indigenous capital of Colombia being the largest population shelter in Colombia (approximately 250,000 indigenous), where they live day to day and as the only possibility, the traditional customs of the Wayuu people with whom they live during the journey.
Cabo de la Vela, because of its easy access, is the most visited destination in La Guajira. More than 50 lodgings served by the Wayuu families, make these paradisiacal beaches the busiest place during the season and the most appropriate for a short visit, with beds and restaurant services. Do not forget to bathe in the golden beach of the Pilón sugar “Kamaishi”, climb the altar of the Virgin of Fatima to appreciate the spectacular scenery and watch the sun fall from the viewpoint of the Lighthouse. An ideal natural setting for water sports and walking and cycling.
The Sanctuary of the Flamingos in the Camarones Township, 20 minutes from Riohacha, has been for many years the indispensable reference for the visit of wildlife lovers. With its system of coastal lagoons and mangroves, this reserve is home to one of the most diverse populations of shorebirds in the Colombian Caribbean. A diverse landscape that can be seen between the peaks of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the dry forest of the Guajiras savannas, framing the fishing and grazing work of a mestizo people that gives testimony with their food and their ancestral customs, of that powerful mix of Afro-descendant culture with the indigenous Wayuu world.
This adventure type cruise is a demanding route, without the conveniences of conventional tourism. Water is scarce and little electricity is obtained from gasoline generators and solar panels. In summer the road is uncovered and dusty, with permanent sun and constant heat during the day and cold at night. During the rainy seasons in mid-March and mid-October the road is difficult to access through mud and on rainy days due to the temporary streams there is no access on the routes. There are no conventional hotels, the accommodation is carried out in hammocks and in huts in the envoys of the Wayuu communities that are visited, or in camps on the beaches visited.
For this tour the visitor must be in healthy physical condition. It is not suitable for the disabled because it does not have the services required for them. Due to the conditions of the trip it is not recommended for children with arms, or for elderly people with bad physical condition. However, there are health services (hospitals) in Nazareth, Uribía, Manaure, Maicao, Riohacha, Dibulla, and health posts in Puerto Lopez, Puerto Estrella, Paraiso, Puerto Bolivar, and Cabo de la Vela.
To have a more comfortable trip it is recommended: Carry water bottle, razor, toiletries (brush and towel, soap and toothpaste, these last two preferably biodegradable), sports shoes and sandals or beach shoes, 2 or 3 changes of clothes for warm weather, bathing suit and shorts, flashlight with spare batteries, sunscreen and sunscreen, insect repellent, sunglasses with UV filter, hat or cap for the sun, identity documents, personal kit, light blanket and photographic camera.
Punta Gallinas is the northern tip of Colombia and South America, an impressive natural scenery of plateaus, dunes and rocky cliffs, which emerge from the sea, embracing the beautiful Bahía Hondita. Its exotic beaches and mangrove belts, keep the charm of the virgin and solitary place in which the essence of the elements is revealed. In Punta Soldado, Punta punta or La Isla, prepare to have a life experience that will reveal a way of life, made of dreams, fishing and herding herds.