Although approximately 32% of Wayúu people speak Spanish, their native language is called Wayuunaiki.
Wayuunaiki is an indigenous language that originates from before the Spanish arrived to colonize Latin America. With its vivid and beautiful words, it helps to describe the unique and spiritual reality of the Wayúu people.
Within their community and at home, Wayúu people always speak to each other in Wayuunaiki and only use Spanish to interact with people from outside their tribe.
Wayúu children who study in Wayúu territory will also receive classes in Wayuunaiki.
Nonetheless, younger generations tend to be fluent in Spanish as they move to cities to look for work.
This has caused an increase in recent years of young people who can no longer speak fluent Wayuunaiki as they rarely speak it in their everyday lives. For these reasons, it’s important to preserve the beauty of this language and to convey how important it is to express concepts for the Wayúu people for which individual words don’t exist in English or Spanish.
That’s why we’ve made a list of some of the most beautiful Wayúu words that you should know so that you can better understand the magic behind this tribe’s culture.
1. Oyonnajaa – to dance a yonna
‘Oyonnajaa’ doesn’t just mean to dance, it means to dance the ‘yonna’, which is a Wayúu tradition that involves a woman playfully chasing a man whilst other members of the tribe play the drums. The man and the woman are usually in traditional dress, and the dance is organized to celebrate a special event such as the birth of a child, a marriage, or marking the end of a young girl’s ‘encierro’.
2. Jolutsü – stars
‘Jolutsü’ refers to the stars that light up the skies of the Guajira region at night. Stars are particularly important for the Wayúu people as they are used to guide the way to the best places to go fishing the next day when there are no clouds in the sky.
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3. Püsia – something sweet
‘Püsia’ in Wayuunaiki means something sweet to taste, which the Wayúu people use to identify things like fruit and sweet corn drinks. Although Wayúu people do not eat fruit very often due to the arid conditions in the Guajira region, when they do, they consume mostly melon and watermelon. They also occasionally enjoy the sweetness of the igüaraya fruit which is a citrus fruit native to the Guajira region.
4. Aa’in – soul, spirit, heart and mind
‘For the Wayúu people, your ‘aa’in’, or your soul, spirit, heart and mind, are completely connected and that is why there is a word in Wayuunaiki that describes all these things and how they can work in unison. For the Wayúu people, if one part of your ‘aa’in’ isn’t well, then the other parts will likely be in the same state. That is why it is important to take care of all parts of your ‘aa’in’ to ensure health and happiness.
5. Aa’inmajaa – to care for
‘The Wayuunaiki word ‘aa’inmajaa’, which means to care for, is especially important for the Wayúu people whose culture is based on caring for others in the community. Many Wayúu women who earn an income through weaving will often use this to care for their children, their extended families, and many others who live in the same community.
6. A’lapüjaa – to dream
‘A’lapüjaa’ is not just dreaming for the Wayúu people, it is when their soul departs from their bodies to wander around and search for meaning. The soul which wanders will enter the realm of the spiritual, and there, ancestors will inform you if there is any member of the community who is unwell or who needs to be cared for. It is another way in which Wayúu people look out for each other.
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7. Apüshi – matrilineal wisdom
The concept of ‘apüshi’ for the Wayúu people is an essential part of their culture and it refers to when an elder woman passes down knowledge and wisdom to a younger woman. As women are seen to be the carriers of knowledge in the Wayúu community, through ‘apüshi’ they teach younger women about weaving, about ancestral wisdom and about their culture.
We mustn’t forget the beauty that the Wayúu language, Wayuunaiki is able to convey. Thanks to Wayuunaiki, the Wayúu people are able to express not just words but spiritual concepts that would be very difficult for them to communicate in other languages.
Sources:
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‘Gastronomía Wayúu engrandece al mayor pueblo indígena de Colombia’ El Tiempo
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‘El Wayuumaiki, una lengua con 600.000 hablantes en riesgo de extinción’ Noticias ONU