As summer approaches, I find myself wanting to put away the heavy leather bags and trade them out for something a little lighter and more relaxed. The other day, my daughter reminded me of my mochila, and that was exactly what I had been thinking. She nailed it!
I spent a great deal of my three years in Brazil planning trips and traveling with my family and friends. Leaving our comfortable lives behind in Denmark had to have its benefits! I had a list of places I wanted to visit, and we had three years to fit it all in.
What has become a tradition of my travels started to take shape during this time. I was extremely interested in learning more about each country’s fashion designers, and overall design history. This inspired me to identify what made each culture I was experiencing unique.
And that turned into my need to collect things that would always bring me back. Even if it would not literally bring me back to the same city, I had a reminder of the amazing places I visit.
The Graffiti
My mom and I arrived in Bogota late at night in June of 2017. Our luggage was lost somewhere between Peru and Colombia, but that didn’t stop us!
So, after little sleep, and still without luggage, the next morning we joined a free city walking tour. We went restaurant hopping and ate Colombian cuisine with a local, took in art exhibits and even met up with friends.
One of the highlights was a graffiti tour, which left a lasting impression. It was proof that the art of Colombia is not only pre-Inca historical artifacts and contemporary artists like Botero, but that true Colombian art continues to be found in the streets. It was telling stories about the history of the country, their design and contemporary issues.
Graffiti is one of the many unique things that South America is known for. After seeing outstanding examples in São Paulo, Rio, Lima and Buenos Aires, you truly feel like you are walking through a living museum with every step you take.
For all these reasons, I fell in love with Bogota! We only spent a few days there, but we left feeling that this was a vibrant and exciting city. It was nothing like what the media had led us to believe.
My Souvenir from Colombia
Needless to say, I wanted to take something home that reminded me of the country’s unique history and culture. But what?
These bags jumped out at me in Cartagena, a quaint port on the Caribbean coast, which was the next stop on our trip. There was something about the mochila that seemed to sum up what we had seen and experienced.
As I started to understand more about the history and craftsmanship that go into these bags, I was even more in awe.
The Wayúu Tradition
These crocheted bags with their symbolic designs are made by the Wayúu tribe. It is one of the most endangered ethnic tribes in the world.
I love that you can incorporate so much tradition in one bag – every inch of the mochila is meaningful and tells a story, even if it is one that I would never truly grasp. The traditional designs pass down and share the story of the tribe. And one of the defining beliefs is that everything on earth is connected, has a soul and a unique language. This thought is beautiful to me.
These were some of the many reasons why I was drawn to buy a bag, not only for myself but also for my daughter, as I am constantly looking for new ways to pass on what I have learned or seen.
Ottilia’s Mochila
And now two years later, at the age of six, she still remembers the importance of this gift, and how meaningful it was for me to share it with her. I was sharing a piece of my travel that inspired me. And in ways taught me something new about the beauty in the South American culture that I had never truly been aware of.
Colombia overall was a big surprise. I had no idea that I was going to fall in love with this country. Its vibrant culture and warm, passionate people was a welcome revelation. Growing up in America, we are told to think a certain way about certain countries. And this one was no exception.
The pride of all the Colombians we met was overwhelming. And the mochilas are reflective of that. So all the more reason to share this wonderful experience with my daughter. My stories are for her, and my wardrobe is for her. Here is a piece of it that we can share together.
what do you think?