PATSHANAI

In the sacred language of the Wayuu people, in northern Venezuela, Patshanai is the name given to the dragonfly. An ancient story tells that Maleiwa, the creator god, wanted to know if his people had enough water in the dry lands of La Guajira. So he sent Patshanai to see with her own eyes. She flew high, touched the surface of a small puddle, and believing that it was enough, returned to tell Maleiwa that all was well. But it wasn’t. By trusting only what she saw on the surface, no more water came to that place. Since then, the dragonfly remembers her mistake and flies close to the water, like one who has learned to look more deeply. 
But Patshanai is not just a symbol: she is a watcher of ecosystems. Dragonflies belong to the order Odonata and live a dual life—aquatic as larvae, aerial as adults. Their larvae dwell in rivers, lagoons, and wetlands, where they help regulate mosquito and insect populations and serve as food for fish and birds. They are bioindicators: when they are present, the water is healthy; when they disappear, it’s a warning sign. As adults, they continue to balance the food web and pollinate quietly. 
In the Patshanai design, we weave together the seven species of dragonflies currently threatened in Venezuela—small, winged guardians of our ecosystems. At BAIRÜ, we honor Patshanai as a symbol of beauty and vigilance, of transformation, and of that ancient wisdom that lives in small things and protects what truly matters.
PATSHANAI