HUICHOL INDIANS, THEIR ART & SYMBOLS

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 belief system. These are the proud Indigenous people seen around Puerto Vallarta in their colorful embroidered clothing. "Huichol (pronounced Wettchol)", according to Norwegian explorer Carl Lumholtz "is a corruption of the work Vishalika or Virarika, that the Huichols call themselves, the word signifying "doctor or healer', a name they fully deserve as about one-fourth of the men are shamans."
The Huichol Indians live in virtually inaccessible areas of the states of Nayarit and Jalisco, straddling the Sierra Madre Occidental in an inhospitable region of about 15,000 square miles in scattered kinship settlements (ranchos).

In the past thirty years, about four thousand Huichols have migrated to cities, primarily Tepic, Nayarit, Guadalajara and Mexico City. It is these "citified' Huichols who, because of the need for money have drawn attention to their rich culture through their art. To preserve the ancient beliefs and ritual ceremonies, they began making detailed and elaborate yarn paintings. The Huichols have only an oral tradition and no written language (thus the many differing spellings of Huichol words). "Through their artwork, the Huichol Indians encode and document their spiritual knowledge." notes Susana Eger Valadez in 'Huichol Indian Sacred Art'. In their artwork the Huichol express their deepest religious feelings and beliefs acquired through a lifetime of participation in ceremonies and rites.


From the time they are children, they learn how to communicate with the spirit world through symbols and rituals. Thus for the Huichol, yarn painting is much more than mere aesthetic expression. The topics of these yarn paintings reflect Huichol culture and its shamanic traditions. Like icons, they are documents of ancient wisdom."

One sees their fine art work for sale at many locations in Puerto Vallarta. From the small beaded eggs and large jaguar heads to the detailed yarn paintings, each is related to a part of Huichol tradition and belief.

Beginning about thirty years ago the yarn painting evolved to its high state today from the "Nierika'. A small square or round tablet with a hole in the center is a Nierika (Nearika) or sacred magical offering. These tablets are covered on one or both sides with a mixture of beeswax and pine resin into which threads of yarn are pressed. Nierikas are found in all Huichol sacred places such as temples, springs and caves. The Nierika, in ritual use, is a face; of the sun, of the earth, of a deer, the wind, the peyote, and the face of the man making the offering. The Nierika facilitates the entry into the other "spiritual world". For the Huichol there are five directions, each of the cardinal points and the fifth is the spiritual, source of visions, power and enlightenment.

A Nierika is called a mirror with two faces, and for that reason often both sides are covered with yarn designs and the hole in the middle is considered a mirror or often a small glass mirror is used. This 'hole' or 'mirror' is the magical eye through which man and God can see each other. The mirror makes the Gods pay attention to the petition, which places a real obligation on the Gods to grant whatever is portrayed on the Nierika. For example, offering Nierika to the Mother Goddess or Rain goddess ensures rain, but other rituals must be observed as well, i.e. the ritual slaying of a deer.

The first large yarn paintings were exhibited in Guadalajara in 1962, a direct outgrowth of the Nierika - simple and uncomplicated. At present with the availability of a larger spectrum of commercial dyed and synthetic yarn, more finely spun yarn paintings have evolved into high quality works of art. Realism, based on mythology, is the basis of yarn paintings.

Beaded bowls (jicara in Spanish, rakure in Huichol) evolved in this same manner. Beadwork originated as an art form long before the Spanish Conquest of the Indigenous peoples. Instead of the glass seed beads utilized today, bone, clay, coral, jade, pyrite, shell, stone turquoise and seeds were used. These were often colored with insect or vegetable dyes.

Originally the beads defined the waxen figures pressed into gourd prayer bowls to be used as offerings (as Niekira) and/or petitions to the gods and goddesses. The Huichol believe that just as one drinks water from the gourd bowl the gods drink up the petitions in the bowls and subsequently understand the prayer better. Color defines the god or goddess petitioned: for example blue signifies Rapawiyeme (Rapa is the tree of rain); black is Tatei Aramara, the Pacific Ocean, place of the dead, great serpent of rain; red indicates Wirikuta, location of the birthplace of peyote, deer and the eagle. With the development of finer, smaller beads, more detailed work s are now seen, not only on gourds but on wooden jaguars.

Peyote cactus is much revered by the Huichol, a veritable gift from the Gods. Through the use of peyote, the Huichol create the elaborate designs used in their artwork. It symbolizes the essence, the very life, sustenance, health, accomplishment, good fortune of the Huichol. Plus through peyote's hallucinogenic effects, enlightenment and shamanic powers can be achieved. Annual pilgrimages are taken to Wirikuta to collect the peyote. Only the 'purified ones' can participate in the harvest or the peyote will not be found.

Peyote Mandalas or Neakilas (nierika) symbolize the entrance to the spiritual world. As important power objects they are often found at the center of yarn paintings. Each mandala is individual, mirroring peyote vision trances.

Utilizing many of the same sacred designs and patterns as seen in yarn painting and weaving, the Huichol create anklets, bags, belts, bracelets, chokers, earrings and rings with the seed beads. "Life is a constant object of prayer for the Huichol, it is, in the conception, hanging somewhere above them, and must be reached out for," explains Lumholtz, "thus all phases of their lives are prayer - the planting, harvesting, peyote pilgrimages - all art, weaving, bead work, face painting and yarn paintings, embody prayer within symbols.

With this introduction one can better understand the Huichol, their art and their constant communication with the spiritual realm. Ramon Mara Torres sums it all up by observing, "This ancient art, modernized as a result of circumstances entirely outside Huichol culture itself, has become like an exotic flower, eagerly sought after by the conocenti "

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 life pleasant to the Gods. Tatewari is Grandfather Fire, instructor of shamans, giver of light, hat, and warmth - imperative for survival. The coral and rattlesnake are his emissaries.
Wolf People. In Huichol mythology they evolved from wolves. By learning the ways of the gods, hunting the deer and offering the blood of the deer to the deities they were finally able to remain in human form. Shamans proclaim the ability to metamorphose into wolves.

Fire or Tai, regarded as the most valuable gift of the gods, is honored in all Huichol ceremonies. The Huichol consider themselves sons and daughters of Tai and "feed" him cornmeal cakes, beer or tepache and water from sacred springs.

Spirit Guides are intermediaries between spiritual and human spheres provided by the gods for shaman apprentices. The guide appears in dreams and visions and are often half-human, half animal, i.e., deer-man or deer-woman. Shamans or ambassadors to the gods are spiritual leaders called Marakame. They are considered para-normal in their powers and are an integral link between the Huichol and the deities.

Tao Jreeku, or Father Sun, rules the heavens, bringing warmth and illumination. Eagle, Mother Goddess of all living things and the sky, is his wife. It is believed all living things receive their life force from Tao Jreeku. He is their grantor of abundant and healthy crops.

All birds are messengers to the gods. The feathers of eagles, and turkeys are especially sought after. The doubled-headed eagle represents the Shaman's omnipotent power and ability to see in all directions. The goddess, Mother Eagle, Mother of the Sky and Queen of the Heavens, is embodied by the eagle or Wealika.

Deer or Mahjrah in Huichol symbolize Kayumahli, the spirit guide. Kayumahli is the guide, teacher and channel of knowledge for the Shamans. The deer hunt, capture and slaying is a very ritualized ceremony. Only the "pure" may participate. For the insurance of a good crop the deer blood is offered to the Deer Mother. Tah Tay Mahjrahlee. As a guardian spirit she is one of the animals of primary importance in the shamanism of the Huichol. The unity of men and women on their spiritual journeys is symbolized by the male and female deer depicted together.

Gila Monsters or Eemuukwee are believed to be endowed with magical healing powers. A piece of this reptile's tail is often seen in a Shaman's medicine basket.

Teh-Kah or horned toads are trusted confederates of the shamans. Their ability to squirt blood from their eyes grants them special honors.

Salamanders work the Rain Mother by prodding the clouds into letting go of the rain. Turtles also are emissaries of the Rain Goddess. Their function is to purify water and replenish underground springs.

Serpents are middlemen between men and the spirit world. Rattlesnakes are respected as the tongue of Tatewari, the Fire God. The Rain Goddess is often symbolized by the Serpent as rain itself, a great coiled serpent or storm clouds from which millions of tiny snakes represent rainfall.

Tortukas or scorpions are held in awe and dread. One of the most deadly species of scorpions in the world can be found in the Sierra del Nayarit. In spite of the fact that many Huichol die yearly of scorpion bites, the scorpion is respected as a protector against evil and bad luck.

Pumas, mountain lions, or Mayetze are emissaries of the God of Fire, Tatewali. They are the custodians of a shaman's sacred vows. And if the shaman fails, Mayetze can consume his spirit.

Wolves or Kumukite are esteemed bearers of spirits. In the peyote ceremonies Kumkite is bestowed with special honors, since the Huichol believe they descended from the Wolf People.

Flowers are sacred. They are utilized in all ceremonies, healings, deer hunt, or of the new corn. Toto, a small white flower that blooms in the wet corn growing season, has become a prayer and a symbol for the corn. In life the Toto has five petals but in art it has been stylized with six petals. The toto flower symbol is often seen on the chest of the Eagle, Keli or Solandra, a plant of the Solanaceae family is an hallucinogenic. The aroma of its blossom induces a powerful trance in which the Huichol say their spirit is opened to the highest levels of enlightenment.

Healing wands or arrows, Muwieris or Muvieli, have to hawk or eagle feathers suspended from the shaft. It is the Huichol belief that feathers are endowed with mysterious powers and as such the Muwieris are the most important item in a shaman's basket. With the colors on the shaft and the type of bird feather the shaman can speak to or summon individual deities.

Turkeys are the bird of the sun and their feathers are sought after by peyote pilgrims. The feathers on the Muwieris are the antlers of the deer. Feathers light and fast impart their power to the shafts to which they are attached and thus insure speedy delivery of a petition or prayer to the designated deity.

Tucuatsi, or a medicine basket, is woven out of palm fronds. The shaman stores his sacred magic power objects, arrows, candles, crystals, face paint, incense, mirrors, sacred plants and rocks, snake or Gila monster tails or wands in a tacuatsi.

Offering mats or Eetalees are mats made especially to hold the sacred objects of the shamans medicine basket or tacuatsi during ceremonies. These objects being sacred must never touch the bare ground.

Uwene or the shaman's chair are special chairs of distinctive form constructed of bamboo, oak, deerskin, pitch and fiber. The gods are supplied with a similar chair but in miniature. These uwene are utilized exclusively by male shamans. It is believed a woman would become infertile if she sat in a uwene. Each shaman transports his own uwene to the ceremony in which he is to participate.

Gourd bowls depicted in yarn paintings serve to illustrate to the gods, graphically, that which is desired. Incense burners fashioned of clay are used to transport the burning coals to the necessary sacred locations. The incense or putzee is produced from the sap of the copal tree. When burned the odor and smoke of the copal transports prayers to the deities.

Candles or Catilas are believed to embody the sacred gift of light from the Sun and Fire Gods. They signify an illumination of the human spirit.

Caves are sacred ceremonies sites utilized by the shamans. Secreted from the outer world, with only their animal allies as witness, the shaman communicates with the mystic realm.

To be continue.