Wixarika
Wixarika artists use the divine plant "Jícuri" in a traditional ceremony to connect with the present, find inspiration and guidance. The outcome of this spiritual journey is reflected in their art.
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In this traditional ceremony, the people ingesting the Jícuri are cleansed from the inside out in order to find harmony within their body and achieve the desired results. Our Wixarika pieces are a mixture of two cultures from two different states in Mexico: Oaxaca and Jalisco.
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From the Zapotec region, San Martín Tilcajete in Oaxaca, artists have developed their craft for generations, carving wood from the copal tree using simple tools such as the machete, gouges and knives. Each piece can take up to 8 months to finish, from the drying of the wood to carving the details of the piece.
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Once the woodwork is completed by the Zapotec artist, the merging between both cultures begins. The Wixarika artist glues small chaquiras one-by-one to give the piece its color, shades, symbols and patterns. Each piece carries ancestral memories of Mexican culture into the contemporary world.
The Wixaritari
The term Wixárika means "people with a deep heart who love knowledge" also known as “Huichol”. The Huichol (Wixaritari) people are organized into relatively traditional groups, mostly communities, located in the states of Jalisco and Nayarit in Western Mexico.
Their relationship with the environment is symbiotic and they know that the sun, earth, wind, clouds, water and seeds are all related to the work, food, joy and community ties.
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There are approximately 30 to 40 thousand Huicholes in scattered ranches and small towns in the middle of the mountains and deep ravines.
Fragment of an art piece explaining Wixarika cosmology by Jose Benitez Sanchez. The Wixarika are known for their colorful and meaningful art, as well as their constant struggle for land.