We are native people Wixaritari who still preserve our Wixarika culture found in the spine of the western mother earth or Sierra Wixarika, in the mexican states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Durango and between Zacatecas. The Wixaritari (plural form of Wixarika word) are sometimes mistakenly called «Huicholes».

“Huichol” means «the one who flees» and we do not flee, the term Wixarika means «person with a deep heart who loves knowledge» this is the true name of  Wixarika people, we know that sun, earth, wind, clouds, water and cornfield, are related to seeds, work, food, joy and community ties.

Wixaritari people knows that nature is necessary to keep alive the bonds that unite us all with each other, that others know how we are and what we need. My people use that communication way, we can all be better off feeling accompanied and knowing that we are part of what is ours and to which we all belong.

The hikuri-peyote is a fundamental part of Wixarika culture too and that we inherited from our ancestors. It is a cactus that appears on the earth, but not everywhere, only in Wirikuta Valley, which is one of the main sacred places of the Wixarika people, located in the mexican state of San Luis Potosí.

Peyote is one of the main instruments of the nierika, thanks to it, when we perform ceremonies, the marakames talk directly with the gods during their dreams when they sing.

Gods instruct marakames through the peyote (hikuri) and advise them to make decisions. It is considered that the grandfather fire (huxainuri) and peyote is equivalent to a book in which all knowledge resides and so it is when marakames sing in a ceremony through their nierika which means «gift of seeing» is allusive to the «Vision of the ancestral gods».

For us Wixarika people, nierika is obtained through a ritual that has the purpose of knowing the hidden or «authentic» appearance of things.

With the ceremony that we carry with hikuri medicine is the medicine of the heart that teaches you and heals you, Mind, Body and Soul, generates a purification in the body, helps you heal the mental and emotional part, connecting with your spirit, while chants and music are performed. It produces mental and muscular relaxation generates an introspection and internal meditation connecting the sacred with a lot of sacrifice, effort we carry on and forward the Wixarika culture.

We have gone to the sacred places to ask for health, rain for our families and for whole world as native people we lack many things but with our culture we go forward as Wixarika  people with the little we have, with our Wixarika handcrafts we go forward and thank God for rain, harvest, for the spirit of our soul.

I did a little writing so that everyone has a little knowledge about the Wixarika culture, thank you very much.

My name is Martin Bautista de la Cruz, I am 24 years old and I believe in the Wixirika culture, I have loved the Wixarika clothing and I have been speaking the Wixarika language since I was a child.

Thank you.