Tixis and Wayuu

Check out this unique song that holds a cartoon story in its video!

Tixis is an electronic music project based in Barcelona, but the basis of the art produced is centred around the Wayuu. The Wayuu are one of Colombia’s largest Indigenous communities, numbering more than 400,000 people. Their ancestral lands are primarily in the La Guajira Peninsula in northernmost Colombia and northwest Venezuela. A core concept in their traditions is “juya,” which encompasses values such as autonomy, self-sufficiency, and respect for nature.

Archaeologists put the Wayuu’s ancestor’s settlement in La Guajira at some 10,000 years ago. Their history is filled with resilience. Despite living in a dry environment, they survived by specializing their hunting and fishing skills, and using rare fresh-water sources for horticulture. After the Spanish arrived, the Wayuu evaded colonization for hundreds of years. They kept control over their land by “adapting their battle techniques and retreating into the desert where conditions were too harsh for their enemies.” Their legendary resistance may be a direct reason as to why the Wayuu language, known as Wayuunaiki or Guajiro, has a strong 400,000 speakers.

You can find an article below that breaks down 7 words to show the depth within them. For example, A’lapüjaa, is the word to dream, but it also means when the soul departs from the body to wander and search for meaning, and it makes a connection to community by looking out for those who are searching or in need of care.

The issues the Wayuu have been facing could be helped with a surge of international care. They have been dealing with severe water shortages and starvation, even though they have successfully managed their land for millenniums. One of the world’s largest open-pit coal mines was built here and it has hoarded water, polluted water, destroyed land, killed fish and wildlife, led to thousands of deaths and countless travesties through malnutrition and starvation, as well as a decimation of culture and community. Blockages and attempts to halt mining operations continue.

This week’s song and video paints a stark and simple picture of the reality happening to their home. The name of the mine is Cerrejón and the sign that appears at the end of the video says “se traspasa” or it is transferred.

** Information was found by searching the internet and sources like Wikipedia.

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Language Article:

https://www.lombia.co/wayuu-language-wayuunaiki/

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Song:

Wayuu - Tixis (Official Music Video)