Readers' World: Colombia shows its beautiful side

14 August 2016 - 02:00 By Jacqui de Klerk

Reader Jacqui de Klerk found wind, sand, stars, sea and simplicity in a remote Colombian village The wind is blowing at a thousand knots; if I let go of the rocks I'm afraid I'll be whisked away across the vast blue sea. The sun is shining, yet its warmth is lost to the wind.I am standing on a huge rock overlooking the magnificent Caribbean Sea, to my right wild desert and eventually the northernmost point of South America, Punta Gallinas, and to my left the northern coastline of Colombia with its untamed majestic beauty.story_article_left1Behind me is an arid landscape filled with cacti, dust and emptiness. Villages are few and far between; life here is a quiet mixture of hard work and traditions followed for hundreds of years.I arrived in Cabo de la Vela, in La Guajira district in northeastern Colombia, one sunny afternoon after an eight-hour journey. In the evenings I would sit and watch fishermen bring in their catch, or gaze out at the infinite sea with the golden-orange sun slowly disappearing into it.The stars hypnotised me at night and it was easy to get lost in the glow of ancient history.On one of my evening strolls, I met a young woman named Sharaya. She was wearing the traditional long dress with colourful designs. Her face was adorned with a brown strip of paint that went from the middle of her forehead to her nose, and then split into two and encircled her cheeks.She explained to me that her tribe, the Wayuu, are descendants of the Amazonian tribes and have been living in La Guajira for centuries. Without prompting, she proudly declared that it's the women, and not the men, who are the tribe's leaders and shamans.Sharaya showed me her recent handiwork, an exquisite hammock. Every Wayuu artwork has a unique, intricate pattern representing the elements in their lives: nature, the sun and the stars.Passing the evening with Sharaya, as well as observing daily village life, I understood that although the Wayuu may seem to some to be "backwards" compared to the West, what they have got right is to give tradition, ritual and genuine craftsmanship their proper due. Western culture seems to be losing its sense of community and humanity, replacing it with superficial and virtual relationships, meagre imaginations and clouded minds.I arrived in Cabo de la Vela with a heavy mind, a fogged up spirit and a complicated lifestyle; but I left feeling illuminated with the serenity and simple existence of the people there.• Share your travel experiences with us in 'Readers' World'. Send your photos - at least 500KB - and a story of no more than 800 words. ALL winners receive R1000. Only winning entrants will be contacted. E-mail travelmag@sundaytimes.co.za..

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