Memories of the Asho'ojushi

We are pleased to share the short film about the "First Gathering of Wayuu Tattoo Artists." This event brought together over seventy Wayuu people for three days in the Oorokot community, located in the Municipality of Maicao, La Guajira. Important personalities from the Wayuu territory, both from Venezuela and Colombia, participated. The release of this short film is in commemoration of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, highlighting the cultural richness and traditions of the Wayuu people.
The gathering included spaces for knowledge exchange, informative talks, and tattoo sessions performed by one male and two female Wayuu tattoo artists. Both the traditional cactus spine technique, asho´ojushi, and the conventional technique were used.
This gathering was the first time in memory that the Wayuu people come together to speak about the cultural and spiritual importance of having an asho´ojushi in both life and in death for the Wayuu.
These short-film is part of the educational and communications materials that were created during the “First Wayuu Tattoo Gathering” that occurred in the Wayuu community of Oorokot, Municipality of Maicao, La Guajira, August 26-27th, 2023.