Indigenous Peoples of Colombia

A photography trip to Colombia would not be complete without visiting an indigenous community. We were fortunate to visit three, the Wiwa people, the Kogui people, and the Wayuu people, all of which we photographed. They all maintain strong spiritual connections to the land, viewing mountains, rivers, and animals as part of a living, sacred balance. Oral traditions, ceremonial dances, intricate weaving, and community decision-making, all guided by elders, reinforce a worldview rooted in respect for nature, ancestral knowledge, and collective responsibility.

Wiwa Indigenous Community

The Wiwa near Santa Marta in northern Colombia are guided by their traditional authorities known as mamos. Their daily life reflects a connection to nature, with thatched homes, small-scale farming, and strong communal values shaping the rhythm of the village. The Wiwa are our first experience with an indigenous people in Colombia. And we can see them from our lodge room, at least we see their huts. If we squint, we can see some people. This afternoon we are going to hike there for a private photo shoot. Woohoo! No, Wiwa!

This morning, we hiked a long way in the heat and humidity to see a chocolate farm. How it didn’t melt is amazing to me. Then we hiked a long way back in the heat in humidity. It’s now time for an afternoon siesta. As I ponder the hike to see the Wiwa village it seems even further than the chocolate farm. It’s still hot and humid. I’m tired. Maybe we should take a pass. But this may be our only time here, so, let’s go.

The hike began around 3:30pm, the sun still high in the sky, the heat oppressive and the air thick with humidity. We made our way until we hit a fork in the path, down brings us to the village, up brings us to the land of chocolate. We hike a few minutes more and we are there! Overall, a very short hike. Woohoo! No, Wiwa!

A Wiwa girl sits in front of her hut.

A different Wiwa girl inside her hut. The sidelight from the hut entrance was quite beautiful.

Dinner time! We were not invited though I’m not sure the food satisfies my heart-healthy diet.

Kogui Indigenous Community

The Kogui live high in the slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia. They see themselves as guardians of the natural world, guided spiritually and socially by their leaders known as mamos. Their daily life centers on harmony with the land, with circular thatched homes, small agricultural plots, and strong communal bonds shaping the community. To get to the Kogui, we needed a 4-wheel drive vehicle to ascend a mountain. It clawed its way up the steep mountainside, tires gripping loose rock as the engine growled against gravity. After an hour of bumping and banging around the vehicle interior, we arrive at a farmer village that used to be run by a cartel. This is a great hiding place as getting here is difficult.

We meet the Kogui community relations man, Augustine, who speaks decent English. He states that we must cross the river to get to the village. He didn’t say that the river base was full of small, jagged stones. After two hours of difficult travel, bodies tenderized by our 4-wheel ascent and feet tenderized by jagged river stones, we finally arrive at the village.

Kogui mamos, the spiritual leader is highly revered, undergoing 18 years of training in darkness to connect with Aluna (the mental/spiritual consciousness) to maintain the ecological and spiritual balance of the world.

Kogui wife and daughter (in the background). The wife is making a mochila, which is handwoven using natural fibers from the fique plant (a type of maguey). The mochila often features earthy, neutral colors.

Kogui family portrait.

A little help from our friend and tour leader, Augustine. I’m not sure whether there are caimans (south American gators) in the river so I move as quickly as I can.

Wayuu Indigenous People

The Wayuu primarily live in the arid peninsula of La Guajira. They maintain a vibrant culture, organized through a matrilineal clan system, where family lineage and inheritance pass through the mother’s line. Their language, Wayuunaiki, remains widely spoken, and their colorful woven mochilas and hammocks reflect ther artistic skill and cultural identity.

Wayuu girl posing in traditional clothing and hat.

Wayuu paint their faces with spiral patterns as part of ceremonial and cultural expression. The spiral shapes are symbolic designs that can represent life cycles, the movement of nature, and spiritual connections within Wayuu cosmology.

Portrait of a Wayuu teenager with the side of her hut as a background.

The ceremonial Yonna dance is an expression of identity, courtship, and spiritual tradition. The Yonna is performed during important community celebrations (I suppose our visit was important enough), where a woman in a flowing, brightly colored dress moves in deliberate circles as a man attempts to match her rhythm without losing balance. This is happening while the father is playing traditional drums.