La Guajira (Spanish pronunciation: [laɣwaˈxiɾa]) is a department of Colombia. It occupies most of its namesake peninsula, the Guajira Peninsula in the northeast region of the country, facing the Caribbean Sea and Venezuela in the northern most part of South America. The department capital city is Riohacha.

Various indigenous tribes populated the vast arid plains, such as the Wayuu, Guajiros, Macuiros, Anates, Wayunaiki, Cuanaos and Eneales among others prior to the Spanish arrival to the Americas. In 1498 Alonso de Ojeda navigated around the peninsula of La Guajira, but the one who disembarked in what today is La Guajira was Juan de la Cosa. During the colonial era the territory was disputed by the governors of Santa Marta and Venezuela due to deposits of pearls. English pirates, French, Germans also disputed the territory. Martin Fernandez de Enciso found the city of Nuestra Señora Santa Maria de los Remedios del Cabo de la Vela, first village in the territory but due to constant attacks, in 1535 Don Nicolas de Federman had to refounded as the village of Riohacha and in 1544 was moved present-day Riohacha. In 1871 the region is separated from the Department of Magdalena and is created La Guajira as part of the national territories. In 1898 was created the Intendance of La Guajira.

Abi Ofarim (born Abraham Reichstadt, 5 October 1937, Safed, British Mandate of Palestine) is an Israeli musician and dancer.

At the age of 12, he attended ballet school, and made his debut on stage in Haifa at 15. By the age of 17 he was arranging his own choreography, and by 18 had his own dance studio.

After he married Esther Ofarim he achieved some international fame, performing with her as a musical duo, where Abi played the guitar and sang backing vocals.

Some time after his divorce, Ofarim developed a drug and alcohol addiction. Nevertheless, he continued performing, releasing a number of albums, and also working as a manager, composer and arranger, through his company PROM.

In 1982, Ofarim wrote a book, called "Der Preis der wilden Jahre". He remarried twice. His third marriage was to Sandra (Sandy), whom he divorced in 2004. Their sons, Gil and Tal Ofarim, are also in show business.

Diomedes de Jesús Díaz Maestre (born May 26, 1957 in the corregimiento of La Junta, La Guajira) is a Colombian vallenato singer and composer. He is the most widely recognized performer of this musical genre. His well known El Cacique de la Junta was given early in his career by vallenato singer Rafael Orozco Maestre in honor of his birthplace; La Junta.

Diomedes was born and raised on a farm called "Carrizal" on the outskirts of La Junta; his father, Rafael Maria Díaz, and his mother, Elvira Maestre, were very poor, something that Diomedes always sought to change. His childhood was spent helping his parents and eight brothers with farm duties, while he was musically influenced by his locally renowned uncle, Martin Elias. His friends nicknamed him El Chivato ("the little goat"), making fun of his young vibrating voice; he became part of the attraction for every party in the house.

Eventually Díaz' uncle decided to help him train his voice and compose songs; Díaz quickly mastered his vocal training and was invited to perform at parties. Eager to succeed, he moved to Valledupar to work as a gardener. He also worked as a messenger and office boy for a local radio station, Radio Guatapuri, pursuing the opportunity to convince disc jockeys to play his future songs. Between 1974 and 1975, he got his first song recording deal with Jorge Quiróz and Luciano Poveda, a well known vallenato group; they recorded the song Cariñito de Mi Vida which put Díaz in the spotlight.

Silvestre Francisco Dangond Corrales aka Silvestrong (Born May 12, 1980 in Urumita, La Guajira) is a Colombian Vallenato singer, composer and Timbales player. Dangond is considered one of the mainstream representatives of the "new wave" of vallenato musicians.

After graduating from high school Dangond dedicated in full to music. He grouped with amateur accordion player Ramón López and after performing in some parties and gigs they recorded their first album in 2002 called "Tanto para tí" which included 12 songs; Nada te conmueve composed by Fabian Corrales, Necesito verte by Juan Manuel Perez, No te escondas mas by Felipe Pelaez, Mi encantadora egoista by Alberto Murgas, Quien me mando of his own authorship, Un amor tan grande by Freddy Carrillo, Muñeca de porcelana by Luis Alonso, Que no me roben tu corazón by Antonio Meriño, Lloraras un amor by Jaime Bayona, La flor mas linda by Armando Moscote, El extorcionista by Carlos Ramirez and Tanto para ti by Freddy Carrillo. It was during this time that he met his friend and also vallenato singer Kaleth Morales.

José Miguel Piñera Echenique more often known as Negro Piñera, (October 15, 1954 in Santiago) is a Chilean celebrity, night club owner and amateur musician. He is the brother of the President of Chile Sebastián Piñera and of the economist José Piñera, and is married to the Argentinean model Belén Hidalgo. Negro Piñera is of Asturian and Basque descent.

Miguel Piñera is the fifth son of José Piñera Carvallo and Magdalena Echenique Rozas. His siblings are Guadalupe, José, Sebastián, Pablo, and María Teresa "Magdalena" (Pichita).

He studied at The Divine Word School (Colegio del Verbo Divino) and Saint George. During his adolescence, he lived in Belgium through his father's role as the Chilean ambassador to Belgium and the United Nations. His father's profession would also later take him to live in New York City.

At the age of fifteen, he received his first electrical guitar and would develop his musical talent. He participated in South America's largest music festival, Festival de Viña del Mar, in 1983.