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. The deer holds the intimate role of symbolizing the Huichol people. The character of the Huichol as a group tends to be light, flexible, and […]
Continue Reading 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 the Aztecs and are related to their Uto-Aztecan speaking cousin, the Hopi of Arizona. They are representatives of a pre-Columbian shamanic tradition […]
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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. Corn plants beside the eyes and on the chin, the sun on each cheek, yellow eagles and white deer adorn this beaded Huichol mask The Huichol people believe […]
Continue Reading 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 creative inspiration gathered from a deeply spiritual culture that motivates all people to celebrate life and create colorful and sacred objects of meticulous beauty […]
Continue Reading The art is made by overlaying carved wood or gourds — in the case of ceremonial bowls — with a beeswax – pine resin mixture, then meticulously placing the beads on this sticky base, by hand, one by one until all of the patterns seen by the minds eye take form and resolve into a […]
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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 Calendars of the Maya. When Cortez arrived it was the begining of the fifth sun. As we all know, Cortez changed their […]
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