Bruce Berger is an excellent guide to the Baja. He’s been going there since the mid '60s, having driven the length of the peninsula at least three times when that meant travelling more than 1,000 kilometers of single lane dirt road. One could drive for a day and meet only one other car. And you would never dream of leaving without taking plenty of food, water and gasoline plus whatever extras and spare parts you might need to fix auto problems along the way. read more

This is not meant to be a political question, I know this may seem impossible, but I am looking for some factual info.

Last evening I saw a documentary by Nettie Wild entitled "A Place Called Chiapas." Wild is a Canadian filmmaker who spent eight or so months inside the Zapatista uprising and created a rather moving and even-handed film.

read more

In more than five years as an expatriate living in Oaxaca, I have forgotten much, learned a little, and been more amazed than bored. One of the things I think I have learned is that for most of us here in Paradise, what we get out of it depends a lot on what we bring with us. read more

This picture appeared with an earlier article, "The Servant", about four years ago. The girl is still playing and singing along the "tourist walking street" in Oaxaca, as are a couple of her you... read more

San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, where I chose to live five years ago, is a city time almost forgot. Situated in the highland valley of Jovel at an elevation of 2,100 meters, it's a city mingling f... read more

Condon Mania, a project of the Frente Comun Contra SIDA (Common Front Against AIDS), sells health - and life - to hundreds of Mexican youth and adults every month. The Frente's major concern is slowing... read more

In the late summer of 1996, the weary traveler reflects on a long time spent away from home. (Pictured are the ruins at Yagul, near Oaxaca ). Photography by Diana Ricci Got my ticket in my pocket... read more

Readers of these reviews may remember that I was a big fan of Jenning’s previous work, Aztec. I gave it my highest accolade – five stars. And here comes the sequel, which is almost as good. The action in this one takes place 12 years after all the goings on in Aztec and concerns the adventures of 18 year old Tenamixtli, the son of Mixtli, the hero of the former novel. Indeed, in the first chapter, Tenamixtli witnesses an execution, a burning at the stake publicly carried out by Spanish troops. Later, he discovers that the executed man was his father. How’s that for getting a story started? As you can imagine, revenge plays a big part in the plot. read more

Every so often, an event or circumstance occurs which changes the way we think of ourselves, or our place in the universe. Today was a day like that. Late yesterday, a guest of my neighbor learned of ... read more

November first is children's day in the series of remembrances and festivities that are known as Dias de los Muertos (days of the dead). On this day, the souls of departed children migrate to the homes... read more

This photo was taken in one of the few buildings left standing at Piña Palmera, on Zipolite beach. By now, the foot or so of mud on the floor has been mucked out. By now, also, relief should be reachi... read more

Refugees from Loxicha, near Huatulco, brought their animals with them to the zocalo in Oaxaca. They set up a tarpaulin over a sewer grate for use as a bathroom. The governor did not invite them to use ... read more

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

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

  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

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

The masks are like mirrors that reflect the patterns of face paintings worn during sacred ceremonies. The Huichol people understand themselves to be mirrors of the gods. The Huichol people believe tha... read more

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 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

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

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

"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

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

As I walked through the gardens of La Nueva Posada, my eyes were riveted on the young indigenous girl seated on the garden wall. Her vivid yellow skirt and blue top reminded me of our magazine's masthe... read more

  Deer and wolves that speak to man, arrows that carry prayers, serpents that bring rain or impart skill in embroidery, pumas that are messengers of the Gods — are all real in the Huichol beli... read more