What is the mariachi?
The only thing more Mexican than tequila is the mariachi and it seems a shame to have one without the other. Mariachi goes beyond music, it is the sum of a cultural revolution expressed through a group of musicians, dressed in popular clothing (most recently charro suits) which encompasses the essence of Mexico and its people. It is something cultural, spiritual and traditional that is unique to this country, an experience not to be missed.
read more
In the parish church of San Andres
The graceful 18th century Parroquia de San Andrés, is not only Ajijic's chief landmark, but also the hub around which village life revolves. It is the focal point for those important milestones that b...
read more
Society's fascination with the wild outsider
Immersed in the history of art and literature, weaved into the superstitions of the collective consciousness, and illumined by the silver screens of cinema, the Wild Man paradoxically basks in the ligh...
read more
Cockfighting in Mexico: Chicken soup for the soul
The Sunday Mexican fiesta at Guadalajara's Camino Real promised cockfighting. I should have expected the "cockfight" would amount to a quick display of two cheerfully bored roosters who could have...
read more
Masks of Mexico - Mascaras de Mexico
From romance to religion, to crimes of passion and crimes of the heart, masks have intrigued, beguiled, and fascinated us from pre-historic cave dwellers to the present.
Although masks are found in vi...
read more
Huellas . . . De Mis Amores
Chicho gently took my hands in his, leaned in close and locked in on my eyes with a soul-penetrating gaze. "¡Qué bonitos ojos tienes, güerita!" he whispered huskily.
Geez, I wondered to myse...
read more
Leonel Lopez: A Mata Ortiz storyteller on pottery
Juan Mata Ortíz is a small village of potters, farmers and cowboys in Northern Chihuahua. About 30 years ago, an unschooled artistic genius, Juan Quezada, taught himself how to make ollas, earthe...
read more
Huellas ...Dona Carlota
Secreted behind a thick adobe wall that runs along Calle Ocampo, Ajijic's main thoroughfare, lies doña Carlota's patio. I cherish this tiny, private paradise for to me its warmth and simplicity repres...
read more
Armando
Juan Mata Ortíz is a small village of potters, farmers and cowboys in Northern Chihuahua. About 30 years ago, an unschooled artistic genius, Juan Quezada, taught himself how to make earthenware jars i...
read more
Huellas ...del cohetero
It's a brisk, moonless night. At the edge of the Ajijic plaza, an anxious group of villagers huddle shoulder to shoulder, casting expectant glances towards the star-studded sky. A sudden barrage of whistling, sputtering explosives rents the night air. The crowd takes a collective lunge backwards, letting out a gasp of wondrous surprise. A brilliant flash of multi-colored lights illuminates the mass of upturned faces.
read more
Huellas ...de Santa Cecilia
November is a festive month here in Ajijic, beginning with the celebrations of All Saints Day and Day of the Dead, and ending with the feast of the village's patron, San Andrés.
Invariably the most l...
read more
Huellas... en el campo santo
The recent demise of one of my dearest friends has made me reflect on how my experiences in Mexico have not only enriched my life, but also taught me to better cope with death. I am deeply grateful to ...
read more
A new generation embraces centuries-old music of Mexico
Every Friday night around six in the evening at Cielito Lindo in South El Monte, California, a large crowd begins to gather. The same thing occurs 1,400 miles away, at El Jalisco Bar in Austin, Texas. What brings crowds to these and hundreds of other restaurants like them across the country? Some say it's the latest margarita happy hour or the growing popularity of Mexican food that packs them in. But a survey of customers reveals that it's the appearance of local Mexican music sensations and an appreciation of the sounds of four or more violins, at least two guitars, a deep-voiced guitarron, a vihuela, and, yes, trumpets. Mariachi music is the sound that speaks to your emotions.
read more
Celebrating the Days of the Dead: The Heart Speaks Clearly in Michoacán
The Days of the Dead, celebrated throughout Mexico, coincide with the Christian All Souls and All Saints days, November 1 and 2nd. People who have died in the past year are remembered, their pictures p...
read more
20 years visiting the Huichols
High in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains of Mexico, northwest of Guadalajara, the Huichol Indians live in small villages called ranchos scattered throughout this remote, rugged terrain. They integ...
read more
Huichol artwork: the ceremonial bowls
The ceremonial bowls or jícaras, as they are called, are made of gourds which are prized for their light weight and durability as water vessels and storage containers.
The bowls hold visions and crea...
read more
In Mexico, saying 'gracias' comes naturally
Not long after her husband died, our friend Lila decided to leave Mexico and return to the USA. She chose Florida over her native New York. As a newly single senior, it seemed like a good place for her...
read more
Comprehending shamanism in the Huichol world
Shamanism is humanity's oldest form of relationship to Spirit. As such, it is the underpinning beneath all religion. But shamanism is not a religion. It is a complex set of practices, beliefs, va...
read more
The Huichol people of Mexico and their symbols
Deer. Maize. Peyote These are the most important symbols for the Huichol. They represent a culture in transition from hunting and gathering strategies to that of a sedentary agrarian lifestyle.
read more
Huichol artwork: celestial things
The eclipse has special meaning for the Huichol, because it represents the eclipse of July 11 1991 at 10:21 A.M. Pacific Coast time. This is the sixth sun according to the ancient Meso-American Calenda...
read more
The Huichol of Jalisco and Nayarit
The Huichols are a hearty and enduring people numbering about 18,000, most of which live in the Jalisco and Nayarit, two rugged and mountainous states in North Central Mexico.
They are descendents of ...
read more
Symbolism used by the Huichols
Tacutsi Aramara, the Goddess of Life, is the Mother Goddess. From her have sprung all life forms; humans, animals and plants. Tacutsi not only gives life to all she nurtures, but teaches a manner of li...
read more
Huichol shamanic art
The Huichol People of central Mexico still follow the age-old shamanic ways of their ancestors, an unbroken wisdom-bridge stretching back into the Paleolithic. The mara'akame, the shaman, still leads p...
read more
Huichol literature
"The Earth is sick and dying. The lands of the Huichol Indians,
hidden high in the remote Sierra Madre mountains of northwestern Mexico,
are dying. The forests are shrinking, water is b...
read more
The Huichols: a culture in transition
A Message From Susana Eger Valadez, Director,
The Huichol Center For Cultural Survival And Traditional Arts
Dear Friends on the Internet:
Thank you for your clicking on us to find out about t...
read more