Visit to the School in Souluguamana

Visit to the School in Souluguamana

On March 9, 2022, we—Micha, Jannik and Paul—visited the ranchería Souluguamana in La Guajira, Colombia. The visit had already been planned in advance as part of our La Guajira trip from March 3 to March 31, 2022. Before sharing our impressions (also on behalf of Jannik and Paul), I would first like to thank Beate Busch from the Deutsch-Kolumbianischen-Freundeskreis e.V. (Rheinland-Ruhr branch). She connected us with Felix Montiel, who was not only our local contact, driver, accommodation organizer and filming-permit facilitator, but who also became a friend during our journey.

Arrival in Souluguamana

In Felix’s pickup truck, we drove along a sandy, uneven road surrounded by sparse vegetation to our next stop: the ranchería Souluguamana, home to the school built with the support of the Deutsch-Kolumbianischen-Freundeskreis e.V. (Rheinland-Ruhr branch). It was not our first school visit in La Guajira, and thanks to Felix’s support, we were well prepared for the formal greeting with the local authority—the person who represents the interests of the families living in the ranchería. As part of the custom, I handed over the Akolojooshi (gift / in Spanish: presente or regalo), consisting of coffee, sugar, oil, corn flour, rice and salt. Not many words were exchanged. After a short wait, we were offered very sweet black coffee, typically served to guests.

We looked at the green-painted school building, where the children were still in class. One of the buildings had not yet been fully completed, as seen in the photo. We thought about how to involve the children this time. During our school visit in Pájaro a few days earlier, the students had interviewed each other using Paul’s main camera. Some were already teenagers and experienced with mobile phones, so it was easy for them. Here in Souluguamana, the students were younger, so we decided to give them the GoPro and let them film some scenes—with Paul’s guidance—using the main camera.

The children continued sitting in the new shaded and cool school building while we gathered impressions of the quiet and spacious surroundings. One particularly striking feature was a tall metal windmill rising above the landscape.

When class ended, Paul set up the main camera on the tripod, surrounded by the students. He zoomed in on the rotating windmill, and the children, gathered around, could clearly see the image on the small monitor. The teachers, Edson and Carmen, discussed the schedule with us. As Felix had told us beforehand, many traditional Wayuu customs are practiced in Souluguamana. Under the tree that provided shade—where the camera had been set up—the presentation would soon begin, so we had to move the equipment. I handed the GoPro to one of the children so that they could start filming on their own.

During the various performances presented to us, the teachers Carmen and Edson explained what was happening.

Presentation of the Yonna or Younnaa Dance

To the rhythm of the Kasha drum, played by an adult, a boy invited the girls to dance. Each step carries a specific meaning and is modeled after the animals of the Uchii ancestors, created by Maleiwa. The boy walks backwards, trying to stay ahead of the girl who moves toward him, without being pushed to the ground.

We had the opportunity to try it elsewhere, and what looked simple when performed by the students was actually quite difficult and exhausting for us. The dance is very aesthetic, especially due to the red garments that the girls spread out with their arms. They resembled gliding birds illuminated in the colors of the Guajiro Cardinal across the dusty desert floor.

In Wayuu culture, the Guajiro Cardinal is a symbolic bird considered a messenger. There is a rather bloody story explaining its red color, which I will not share here out of fear of omitting or misrepresenting important details. We unfortunately did not see any Guajiro Cardinals during our stay. I am not entirely sure whether the bright red bird still plays an important role in ritual dances or songs; this is something I hope to explore more deeply on the next trip.

The dance is often performed for tourists, and we saw it several times during our stay. We cannot say for certain to what extent it is still practiced in its traditional meaning. However, Yonna or Younnaa remains highly representative of the Wayuu in La Guajira and is an important cultural symbol. Watching it was a truly impressive experience for us.

Presentation Aapiraa (wrestling) and Jaatut (archery)

After the Yonna/Younnaa dance, we were shown Aapiraa, comparable to wrestling. This was particularly exciting because we had never seen this type of competition, and the participating boys were very motivated. The two boys tried to wrestle each other to the ground, and cheered on by the girls, a clear winner was declared at the end. Afterwards, the archery presentation, called Jaatut, took place.

Presentation Suwatirá Ama’a (race / Carrera de caballo)

To conclude, there was a race in which Jannik also participated, although he had no chance. A group of students lined up, and after the starting signal, ran to compete. They had to turn back at the marked end of the course, so the starting line became the finish line. There were several rounds with different groups, making for a very enjoyable end to the presentations. Then the drone was used. We had done something similar with students at another school, which had been very fun. The goal was to run after the drone and, if possible, overtake it. The children were filmed and could watch the resulting video at the end of each attempt. In Souluguamana, there was only one attempt because the drone got caught in a tree and crashed, becoming inoperable, but it was fun nonetheless!

Notebooks, pencils, erasers, and sharpeners

At the end, we gave out the gifts we had purchased days earlier in Riohacha. While Paul filmed, Jannik and I distributed notebooks, pencils, erasers, and sharpeners. The children lined up and stepped forward to receive the items. Some seemed hesitant and had to be encouraged several times by the teachers to take the gifts. I crouched down to be at eye level with the youngest. In previous school visits, we had experienced similar situations and did not feel entirely comfortable with this procedure. We asked Felix to talk to Carmen and Edson to see if the gifts could be distributed directly, but it was important to them that the children see that we came with good intentions. We respected their wish, although there was some unease, as this symbolically reflects decades of “development aid,” where “whites” from the global north are the generous donors and sometimes part of the problem, creating dependencies and indirectly slowing structural changes.

During our stay, we tried to reflect on our behavior. We believe it is important to be aware of our privileges as Europeans. That is why we were grateful to have Felix by our side, with whom we could discuss many things and engage in a transatlantic dialogue.

It is worth noting that the construction of the school building has enabled the children in Souluguamana to learn better, and the local people were very grateful, which we could clearly feel.

After all the gifts were handed out, we were invited to eat. There was goat meat and arepas (round corn cakes). We spoke with Carmen and Edson while the children were free. Inspired by a local politician distributing gifts in the ranchería, we discussed politics and the upcoming elections. It was not clear who would win; ultimately it was Petro’s coalition, also supported by the Wayuu politician Arelis Uriana.

After the meal, we said goodbye with a group photo in front of a beautifully painted banner showing cacti, the Kasha drum, a traditional ceramic vessel, a flamingo, and the Guajiro Cardinal, with the inscription “Instituto San Rafael Del Pájaro Yosulu.” With many positive impressions, we left Souluguamana, grateful for the warm hospitality of everyone involved.

The school in Souluguamana (La Guajira, Colombia) was built with the support of the Wayuu project of the DKF Rheinland-Ruhr branch. Read more here! (only in German and Spanish)