Wayuu crafts are famous in many parts of the world, they have a complex process. Called süsü, kato’ii or wayuu backpack, they have become a fashionable piece.

Its vibrant colors contrast with the arid desert. Thanks to them many people know of the existence of the Wayuu people.

It is inevitable not to fall in love with the magic that these fabrics hide, but behind all this lies a town full of culture.  

But how long does it take to weave a Wayuu bags?

All artisanal work requires time to be done, and Wayuu bags are no exception.

Its size varies as does the time it takes to make it. Long wayuu bags, medium minis, kapaterras, süsü.

Just to mention a few, each one is used at certain times.

But the most popular and well-known is the long bags woven in two strands. A skilled craftswoman takes 4 to 5 days to weave her base, while her gauze takes 3 days to make. These are mainly woven by men.

They can also be seen woven in a strand, some take up to 25 days to make depending on the design that is placed.

One of the largest and most complex backpacks to knit are the süsü and kapaterras:

The Kapatera is a very large Wayuu bag that is used by a man to carry his clothes and hammock when he goes on a trip. This one has a very different shape from other crochet backpacks. It is a kind of tube or cylinder with two mouths and two long closing cords that also act as a hanging rack.
The square or rectangular crochet süsü are “everyday” bags rarely used by women. These do not have a base, only the body, which is woven like a cylinder that when it reaches the desired size is closed on one side and the other is left open to act as a mouth.

An art with history

All this work behind a Wayuu backpack. Each thread unites hearts, Wayuu women and men who undertake through their art.

Days, months and even years it takes to make each piece, there are different types of fabrics.