| People | Wayuu |
|---|---|
| Language | Wayuunaiki |
| Country | Wajiira |
TheGuajira Peninsula[ɡwaˈxiɾa] (Spanish:Península de La Guajira, also spelledGoajira, mainly incolonial period texts,Wayuu:Woumainpa’a) is apeninsula in northernColombia and northwesternVenezuela in the Caribbean. It is the northernmost peninsula in South America and has an area of 25,000 km2 (9,700 sq mi) extending from theManaure Bay (Colombia) to theCalabozo Ensenada in theGulf of Venezuela (Venezuela), and from the Caribbean to theSerranía del Perijá mountains range.
It was the subject of a historic dispute between Venezuela and Colombia in 1891, and on arbitration was awarded to the latter and joined to itsMagdalena Department. Nowadays, most of the territory is part of Colombia, making it part ofLa Guajira Department. The remaining strip is part of the VenezuelanZulia State. The northernmost part of the peninsula is calledPunta Gallinas (12° 28´ N) and is also considered the northernmost part of mainland South America.[1]
The nameGuajira comes from theCariban languages; it is the Spanish pronunciation of Wajiira or Wahiira. According to Picon, the wordGuajiros was first used in the year 1600 to designate some 200 indigenous families inhabiting the region of Riohacha.[2] They were known for having large herds of goats. The Spanish applied the term to all the indigenous in the peninsula who were goat herders. According to Oliver, the termGuajiro did not appear on Spanish records until the year 1626, in a document by a friar named Pedro Simón.[3][4]
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The region receives the flow of thetrade winds from the northern hemisphere. The northeastern coast of Venezuela and theAntilles haveGuajira-Barranquilla xeric scrub. The trade winds cause a resurgence of the deep littoral waters and make the sea more rich in living species on the western side of the peninsula. The northeastern flank of theSierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range acts as a barrier that generates abundant rainfall in its steppes, forming the headwaters of theRanchería River, the only major river in the area. Climate and vegetation varies from south to north, presenting hyper-humid jungle weather in the southern part (with 3000 mm of rainfall a year) to thedesertic areas in the north (300 mm a year).
In the northern area, a small range of mountains known as theMacuira reaches 900 m above sea level; they trap some of the trade winds andmist forms. Most of the mountain range is aprotected area calledNational Natural Park of Macuira. Nearby there is also the 80 km2Flamingos Fauna and Flora Sanctuary.
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The peninsula is inhabited mainly by members of thenative tribe of theWayuu, who use the plains to raise cattle, sheep, goats and horses. The descendants of Spanish colonists settled in the southeastern part of the peninsula, sometimes referred to as the Padilla Province. This has more fertile land, due to the proximity to other river basins, such as theCesar River basin. It has been developed for large plantations of cotton and sorghum, and for cattle ranching.
Since the 1980s the central area of the peninsula was subject to the exploration and exploitation ofcoal andnatural gas in the area ofCerrejón and ofoil in the littoral. A popularecotourism destination in the area isCabo de la Vela, a headland and village on the peninsula on the Colombia side.
The mission of Goajira was carried out since the 1880s by Capuchin friars. It was elevated byPope Pius X on 17 January 1905, into avicariate Apostolic, dependent on theCongregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs. Attanasio Maria Vincenzo Soler-Royo was appointed to the vicariate, astitular Bishop of Citharizum, on 18 April 1907. The early 20th-century missionaries described the inhabitants of the area as:
"tall and well made. Formerly they were very intractable, but theCapuchins, who were in charge of theCatholic missions, have had a great influence over them, and large numbers have been converted. The chief towns are Paraguaipoa, Calabacito, Maricha, Marocaso, and Soldado, La Guajira."[5]
The Capuchins established three major orphanages, where they educated Wayuu children in Catholicism, Spanish, and European culture. In the 21st century, the government no longer requires Catholic education for the indigenous peoples. They are allowed to educate their children in the Wayuu traditions and language (Wayuunaiki).
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Vicariate Apostolic of Goajira".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.Treasures of Colombia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:Wills, Fernando; et al. (2001).Nuestro patrimonio – 100 tesoros de Colombia [Our heritage – 100 treasures of Colombia] (in Spanish).El Tiempo. pp. 1–311.ISBN 958-8089-16-6. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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12°00′00″N71°30′00″W / 12.000°N 71.500°W /12.000; -71.500
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