Huichol Indian Culture

The Huichol Indians are an ancient tribe related to the Aztecs. They live in a small area of the Sierra Madre Mountains on the west coast of Mexico, in and around the state of Jalisco. This is a very isolated area, which may explain why their beliefs about how the world was created and how it works, and their religious rituals as well, pre-date the European ones encountered elsewhere in Mexico.

The Huichol lifestyle is mainly agrarian; the principal crop is corn, which is called the "sacred maize." This kind of lifestyle keeps the people in close connection with nature, which is probably why so many of their deities are nature-related. Their gods are the animals they see around them, the plants indigenous to the area, and the people's own ancestors. These gods are a part of everyday life, and are considered family. The people spend much of their time talking to their gods and honoring them in their art, crafts, and music.

Healing is a big part of the Huichols' belief system. In fact, they feel that they are the healers of the Earth and all its creatures, and that it's their responsibility to keep the forces of nature in balance. Their principal healers, as in many native cultures, are their shamans, who are also their holy men-and women. Their religious rituals are used not only to communicate with their gods, but also to find the causes-and cures-of the people's sicknesses.

The Huichols have no written language; all their traditions and beliefs have been passed orally from one generation to the next, principally through the efforts of the shamans, who say they keep these beliefs in their hearts. They also receive messages from the gods in their dreams and visions. They pass these messages on to the people in the form of songs and chants that start at sunset and continue throughout the night until sunrise of the following day.

Unlike many other native tribes, the Huichol do not have just one or two shamans; actually, about a third of all the adult males are shamans. Although most shamans are male, there are a few female shamans as well. The training is not formal; although it does require that the apprentices take vows to "complete" themselves, it is more an "observe and then do" method. It does, however, require participation in at least five pilgrimages to collect the sacred peyote plant, which is an important part of the Huichol culture.

Peyote has been used by the shamans for more than 6,000 years. It's a cactus that is very high in alkaloids, especially mescaline. Its consumption, which is usually done at religious rituals, can produce visions which are considered signs of good luck because they are communications from the gods. But it does not grow nearby, so every year a group of peyoteros makes the 300-mile trek to the deserts of San Luis Potosi, which they call Wirikúta, to collect it.

The Huichol have been living in isolation for a long time. However, they are prolific artists, and they are quite willing to share this art-much of which is unique-with the rest of the world. It is through this art that we can learn about the small mountain tribe whose culture predates the arrival of the Europeans.