Welcome to my blog posting on the Huichols of Mexico. This unique and interesting culture has always fascinated me. Thank you for joining me and I look forward to introducing the Huichol in this blog posting.
The Huichol (pronounced "wechol" in English) of Mexico are an indigenous tribe of people with a unique and fascinating culture. Who the Huichol are, where they came from, and why their culture is so special will be highlighted with some of the facts I personally find intriguing about this indigenous people.
The Huichol are Native Mexicans living in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range in the Mexican states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Zacatecas, and Durango. They are best known to the larger world as the Huichol, however, they refer to themselves as Wixáritari (Huichol pronunciation: /wiˈraɾitaɾi/ or phonetically as: we-SHA-re-kaareor) meaning "those who dress in honor of our Ancestors." I dare you to say Wixaritari a few times rapidly.
Evidence has been found that the Huichol have lived in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range for thousands of years according to carbon dating of the ashes from their sacred fireplaces. Regardless of the many theories, in fact that the Huichol call the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain area their home.
The origins of the Huichol is an on-going debate by anthropologists, historians, and the Huichol themselves. Some believe the theory that they are a branch of the same family as the Aztecs both having migrated from their original island homeland near the Pacific coast named Mexcaltitan.
Two views of the Island of Mexcaltitán in the state of Nayarit, Mexico:
Others say the Huichol migrated north from the Valley of Mexico and were forced to take refuge in the Sierra hundreds of years ago by warring Indian tribes. Another theory is that they originated in the state of San Luis Potosi, but later migrated westward to the parts of the rugged Sierra where the Huichol are currently found.
The Huichol (pronounced we-chol in English) of Mexico are an indigenous tribe of people with a unique and fascinating culture. Who the Huichol are, where they came from, and why their culture is so special will be highlighted with some of the facts I personally find intriguing about these indigenous people.
A long trek made on foot through the Sierra Madre carrying their food and provisions.
The Sierra Madre region before the Spanish Conquest (see the Huichol territory in lime)
HUICHOL CULTURE:
The Huichol number is roughly estimated at approximately 24,000 most of whom live in the Sierra mountains of the states of Jalisco, Nayarit, and Zacatecas. Having withstood the Spanish invasion, they are still striving to keep their culture alive and viable despite the ever increasing physical and cultural encroachment of the outside world.
The Huichols live in scattered extended family settlements (ranchos) and rely entirely on oral tradition. They are intensely religious and see their time-honored responsibility as protecting nature’s creations. Their shamans perform elaborate ceremonies to a pantheon of gods to ensure bountiful crops, health and prosperity as well as to preserve nature and heal the Earth.
The Huichol have no word for “god,” but incorporate into their eco-religious philosophy the natural wonders of their environment. The mountains and rocks of the Sierra are the physical embodiment of their ancestors who stand guard with love willing to teach and guide their descendants in their obligation to care for the Earth.
The rivers are veins of Mother Ocean conveying her life giving blood inland to their lands. Father Sun warms the earth and produces the crops, but when he becomes too strong offerings must be given to Grandmother Growth (aka Nakawe) who brings the rains to balance the drought. Keeping this balance in nature is central to the Huichol's philosophy of life and vital to the well-being of Earth in their culture.
A very handsome Huichol man in my opinion.
A very handsome Huichol man in my opinion.
A lovely Huichol woman wearing her beautiful beads.
Most Huichol provide for themselves by growing their own food. Maize (corn), beans, squash, and chilis are common crops. These crops are cultivated with animal-drawn wooden plows and digging sticks. Most families own livestock such as cattle, donkeys, horses, pigs, chickens, and turkeys. The following are some random photos I couldn't resist sharing.
A lovely Huichol woman wearing her beautiful beads.
Most Huichol provide for themselves by growing their own food. Maize (corn), beans, squash, and chilis are common crops. These crops are cultivated with animal-drawn wooden plows and digging sticks. Most families own livestock such as cattle, donkeys, horses, pigs, chickens, and turkeys. The following are some random photos I couldn't resist sharing.
A lovely young Huichol girl working in the fields.
A woman wishing her husband a good day with a baby in her arms.
A group of Huichol woman ready to start the day with a dog keeping them company.
Huichol men wear brightly embroidered cotton or muslin shirts as part of their ethnic trajes (outfits). They also wear leather sandals and braided palm hats. Women wear colored skirts and blouses and decorate themselves with bright necklaces.
The Huichol embroider their clothing with the symbols of nature which offer them strength and life, a few of which are: the flower, a prayer for rain, the deer, a request for love and bounty, their nature-deities, and the scorpion to ask for their protection.
Huichol marriages are arranged by the parents when children are very young and often occur between the ages of fourteen and seventeen. Extended Huichol families live together in rancho settlements. These tiny communities consist of individual houses which belong to a nuclear family. Each settlement has a communal kitchen and the family shrine, called a xiriki, which is dedicated to the ancestors of the rancho. The buildings surround a central patio. The individual houses are traditionally built of stone or adobe with grass-thatched roofs.
Each settlement has a communal kitchen and the family shrine called a xiriki which is dedicated to the ancestors of the rancho. The buildings surround a central patio. The individual houses are traditionally built of stone or adobe with grass-thatched roofs.
A district of related ranchos is known as a temple district. Temple districts are all members of a larger community district. Each community district is ruled by a council of kawiteros, elder men who are usually also shamans, or witch doctors.
The marakame, or shaman priest, plays a central role in everyday Huichol life. He is the nexus with the gods, invoked through the ceremonial use of peyote, and receives instructions from the spirit world through visions, dreams and trances.
Don Jose Matsuwa was the renowned Huichol shaman from Mexico who passed away in 1990 at the age of 110. He was a farmer, healer, master ceremonial leader, and a revered and respected elder throughout the Sierras. He dedicated his life to completing the sacred path of the shaman.
Through the ceremonial use of peyote (see above) Shamans receive instructions from the spirit world through visions, dreams and trances.
HUICHOL CULTURE IN TRANSITION:
The Huichol people are a culture in transition as modern life encroaches upon their traditional ways. Among the many challenges the Huichols face is the disregard for the ecology of their homeland including deforestation, commercial mining, encroachments by ranchers, and disregard for water conservation by the surrounding mega-cities.
Many have migrated to cities such as Tepic in the state of Nayarit and Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco for employment. Others struggle with poverty and illness caused by the pesticides used in the tobacco plantations where many find work as day laborers.
The Huichol feel their pact with their nature-deities has been broken by forces beyond their control. Their sacred white-tailed deer could no longer be found in the Sierra forests and the Huichols were unable to perform their ancient ceremonies to please and honor their deities and heal the Earth. In despite of these huge challenges, the Huichols have amazingly found a way to hold on to their ancestral beliefs at least for the time being. Their tenaciousness is to be admired, respected, and honored.
The following is a ray of hope that the Huichol and their lifestyle will not be entirely lost:
The Huichols, seeing themselves as stewards of the planet, decided to take action. In l986, they made a 600 mile (965 km) pilgrimage to Mexico City to ask the government for a white-tail deer from the National Zoo. They were given 20 to revive the white-tail deer population in the Sierra Madre mountains. Huichol elders now work with the National Indigenous Institute on educational, economic, and health programs. The Huichols were awarded Mexico's National Ecology Prize in 1988 for their genuine efforts to save the environment. Bravo!
White Tail Deer
A local Huichol I met in Puerto Vallarta who always had a smile on his face for me.
The following paragraph was compiled from the outstanding book "MEXICO -Cultures of the World" Second Edition by Mary-Jo Reilly and Leslie Jermyn in the section entitled "The Real Treasures of the Sierra Madre." Thank you!
"The rich cultural heritage of the Huichol is indeed the real treasure of the Sierra Madre. The Huichols teach us that man must be a steward of the Earth, he must feel in his heart the pain of the wounded animal, the crushed blade of grass. For all souls are linked. The universal life force, kupuri, flows through all nature’s creations. And when man destroys nature, he destroys the finest part of his own being."
"Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians is a story about the Wixarika People and their struggle to preserve Wirikuta, their most sacred territory and the land where the peyote grows, the traditional medicine that keeps alive the knowledge of this iconic people of Mexico.We enter the Wixaika world accompanying the Ramirez, a typical family of the Sierra Madre, in the traditional pilgrimage to Wirikuta held every year to honor their spiritual tradition. But this time something is different. The “Heart of the World”, where everything is sacred, is in serious danger."
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Enjoying some yummy and spicy Huichol salsa at our favorite fish taco stand.
Once again I thank you for joining me on my "blog journey." Until next time, wishing you well wherever your travels may take you, Saludos, Laura
The above is my favorite "self-portrait."
In this blog posting I have decided to share some of my favorite photo memories by regions and countries. So if your bag is packed, here we go!
MEXICO
I believe it's only appropriate to start with photo memories from our "home" country of Mexico where we arrived in 1996 and where we have settled permanently after some amazing years of living in other wonderful Latin American countries. So let's get started on this nostalgic posting with some of my favorite photographs from Mexico and Beyond.
The tradition of weaving on a backstrap loom is alive and well in Mexico.
Making friends will a local delivery donkey always made me happy!
The Guelaquetza pageantry and celebration in Mexico is amazing.
We fell in love with San Miguel de Allende in Mexico and it was there my husband suggested I start blogging.
The festival of Our Lord of the Conquest is celebrated the first Friday of March each year in San Miguel de Allende. Groups of Conchero dancers come from many surrounding regions in honor of Jesus Cristo (Jesus Christ) for this special day.
Images of the lovely ladies of the city of Oaxaca, Mexico during the annual Guelaquetza Festival. The Guelaguetza, or Los Lunes del Cerro (Mondays on the Hill), is an annual indigenous cultural event in Mexico that takes place in the city of Oaxaca, capital of the state of Oaxaca, and nearby villages.
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Guatemala
We found Guatemala with its natural beauty, the warm and friendly indigenous people, and the amazing pyramids simply wonderful. I loved everything about this country and I look forward to sharing it here with you.
Visiting the pyramids of Guatemala and I loved them all!
There are more then 1,500 Mayan ruins in Guatemala most of which are located in the northern region of the Peten Basin. There are hundreds of ruins, however, still buried under dense forest.
Lake Atitlan in Guatemala is a body of water located in a massive volcanic crater in Guatemala’s southwestern highlands. Surrounded by steep verdant hills it is known for its Mayan villages and volcanoes with striking pointed cones.
Mayan women as seen in Panajachel with their beautiful weavings for sale. I find the culture and traditions of the local indigenous people wonderful.
Another photo of Lago Atitlan in Guatemala with local indigenous people out fishing.
The Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations in Antigua, Guatemala are sincerely awesome!
Images of friendly local women in their colorful wrap skirts and traditional huipil blouses.
Our daughter as seen in Lago Atitlan who visited us while we were living in Guatemala. What incredible memories, mi hija, with my love.
The indigenous women of Guatemala still weave in the traditional manner and their work is stunning.
My husband participated in the flying of kites during the Day of Dead celebrations in Guatemala.
Chile
Chile and its culture, people, natural beauty, and wine (!) was amazing and I wouldn't hesitate in returning. Here are a few of our photo memories.
Chile's welcome flowers was super special after a long bus journey.
As many of you know I seriously admire street art and maybe my passion started in Chile.
We found the culture of herders in Chile fascinating and maybe this hombre was herding sheep for shearing to make the wonderful Chilean weavings and textiles.
Chile is known for its fabulous fish markets and we couldn't resist checking them out.
Walking the streets of Chile was always a treat and I particularly like this photo memory.
While visiting Santiago, the capital of Chile, we were treated to an amazing outdoor photo art exhibit in the main plaza. It was very contemporary art and and I couldn't resist sharing this photo which was taken by my husband.
More street art in Chile which made me very happy!
Eventually is was time to cross over the Andes and leave Chile. What an amazing visit and I thank you from my heart. And now on to Uruguay.
Uruguay
Established in 1680 quaint Colonia is one of the things Uruguay is known for and a must-see. One of the country’s oldest towns, it’s been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995 thanks to its mix of Portuguese and Spanish colonial with neoclassical architecture.
From the way Uruguayans speak Spanish to the modernization of the country’s economy and developments in the visual arts, the Portuguese had their hand in the very creation of Uruguay as we know it.
I love visiting the local produce markets and Uruguay was no exception.
Uruguay is known as a predominantly flat country where ranching reigns supreme. It is also notable for its virtually unspoiled coast, its high standard of living, and its socially liberal record in recent decades. Uruguay received a consistent influx of Italians between the 1840s and the 1960s. Estimates vary widely yet between forty percent and a half of the country’s population are Italians descendants.
A little music while waiting to dine always wets my appetite.
The Italian legacy goes far beyond that, though. From the way Uruguayans speak Spanish to the modernization of the country’s economy and developments in the visual arts, Italians have had their hand in the very creation of Uruguay as we know it today.
Apart from really tiny nations, Uruguay has one of the largest concentrations of people living in its capital. Greater Montevideo is home to about 40% of the country’s population and it is the one and only center of the Uruguayan "civilization" in the country.
The Lighthouse of Montevideo dates to the 1850's and has a staircase to the top which contains historical displays. It is the iconic image of Montevideo and I think it is wonderful.
The department of Canelones which almost entirely surrounds Montevideo is Uruguay’s winemaking region par excellence. That means the best Tannat available nationwide will be less than an hour’s drive away at all times. Any place with good wine is definitely my kind of place!
Venezuela
Venezuela's original inhabitants were the Carib and Arawak Amerindian peoples. Spanish explorers founded the settlement Santiago de Leon de Caracas in 1567. Its society has been deeply shaped by Spanish colonisation which introduced Roman Catholicism and the Spanish language. Today the dominant culture of Venezuela reflects a blend of indigenous and Spanish customs as well as regional Caribbean and Andean influences.
Most Venezuelans come from a mixed Spanish and indigenous background with nearly half said to be “Mestizos.” Around 40 percent of the population claim to be direct descendants of the Spanish and their culture is evident through the food and the prevalence of bullfights.
Venezuela has the world's largest known oil reserves and has been one of the world's leading exporter of oil. Previously, the country was an underdeveloped exporter of agricultural commodities such as coffee and cocoa, but oil quickly came to dominate exports and government revenues. And the women are stunning as anyone knows if they following international beauty pageants.
We were fascinated by the fishing lifestyle of the Venezuelan people and hauling in a catch of fish was no easy feat. Venezuela was the perfect escape from the hustle of city life.
We met the owners of this tricked out truck and noticed the emblem from Venezuela so we shared stories and bought them a cerveza many, many moons ago. How time flies!
Argentina
Lago Nahuel Huapí is the lake on which San Martin de Los Andes is located and where we lived while exploring this beautiful region in Argentina.
The Mapuche indigenous people of Argentina were gracious and degnitfied and I appreciated being allowed to take her photograph.
A large portion of the population of Buenos Aries have four legs and dog walkers are a thriving profession.
The pressed tin houses in the barrio of Boca in Argentina are painted in a rainbow of colors and muralists have turned the district's side streets into avenues of outstanding beauty. Wow!
This sub-way (subte) station in Buenos Aires had some of the first mural work I had experience and I loved it!
To a Porteno (resident of Buenos Aires) to dance the tango is what they live for.
