Alfonso López Epiayu is the founder of the village community of Tamaquito. In 1965, his employer, whose livestock López had previously tended for many years, left him around 10 hectares of land. López built the first huts and, over the years, the village grew until it was home to about 180 people. The forests around the settlement provided the villagers and their animals with everything they needed to survive.
Jairo Fuentes Epiayu was 23 when, in 2006, he was appointed Gobernador del Cabildo of Tamaquito. This role is roughly equivalent to that of chairman of the village council. Since then, he has lead the village community through the resettlement process. His goal is for the village to be recognised as an indigenous community with its own territory. López Epiayu is his grandfather.
Ingris Ureche Epiayu was born in Tamaquito. She’s a member of the village council and organises the sale of handicrafts produced by women in the village. López Epiayu is her grandfather.
Henrys Ureche Epiayu was born in Tamaquito and is considered one of the best hunters in the region. He completed his high school diploma as an adult and now takes particular responsibility for passing on the Wayúu language and culture to the children of the village. López Epiayu is his grandfather.
Lenis Alfonso comes from the northern part of the La Guajíra peninsula. He’s a member of the village council and is keen to preserve traditional music as well as the Wayúu traditions of ritual combat and singing.