Latin American Art Gallery

For the Huichol, who live in Mexico and call themselves Wixárika, life and religion are intertwined.  Their deities are honored in their ceremonies and represented in their art and are part of daily life.  As Carl Lumholtz, the original ethnographer and explorer who studied the Huichol society, said, “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.”  They ask the deities for rain and sun for the crops, successful deer hunts, healthy children and protection from natural and supernatural dangers.  Here we introduce the Jaguar and Turtle and show them in Huichol art pieces.

The Takutzi Nakahue, Mother of all gods and of corn,  is symbolized by the rain, serpent, water, the bear, the armadillo, and the sacred tree.

Here are two Huichol Native masks.  One is made with size 11 seed beads.  The other is made with size 15 seed beads, which are much smaller (bigger number, smaller bead).  The artists we work with use the smaller beads.  The two masks are around the same height.  The two photos make it easy to see that one is much more detailed than the other.  Can you tell?  Both are beautiful but the one on the bottom has many more beads per square inch than the one on the top.  Clicking on the lower mask will take you to the its page where more views and explanation of the symbols can be seen.

For the Huichol, who live in Mexico and call themselves Wixarika, life and religion are intertwined.  Their deities are honored in their ceremonies, represented in their art and are part of daily life.  As Carl Lumholtz, the original ethnographer and explorer who studied the Huichol society, said, “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.”  They ask the deities for rain and sun for the crops, successful deer hunts, healthy children and protection from natural and supernatural dangers.  Here we introduce the five colors, red, blue, green, orange and yellow.

Huichol Use of Color

Traditional Huichol art is full of colors and they have meaning.  Through the ritual consumption of peyote, colors can be experienced as language and song.  Thus stories are revealed.  Their art captures these stories and colorful visions.  During its creation color is used intentionally as it’s integral to the stories.

Red

Represents the East, the Fire God Tatawari and masculinity.

Blue

Represents the South,  the Pacific Ocean, water, rain and femininity.

Green

Represents the Earth, Grandfather, the heavens, healing, growth and heart.  This bowl displays a green double headed eagle.

Orange 

Orange represents Wirikuta, which is the homeland where life began.  It is the sacred area where peyote is found.  Peyote allows communication with the Gods.Yellow

A special root, called Uxa (pronounced Urra) found in Wirikuta, the sacred homeland.  It used for yellow face paint done before ceremonies.  This is a young pilgrim in Wirikuta, the sacred homeland.

For the Huichol, who live in Mexico and call themselves Wixárika, life and religion are intertwined.  Their deities are honored in their ceremonies and represented in their art and are part of daily life.  As Carl Lumholtz, the original ethnographer and explorer who studied the Huichol society, said, “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.”  They ask the deities for rain and sun for the crops, successful deer hunts, healthy children and protection from natural and supernatural dangers.  Here we introduce the Jaguar and Turtle and show them in Huichol art pieces.

Huichol Deity Mayetse (Jaguar)

Mayetse, the Jaguar, is the messenger of Tatawari, the god of Fire.  Mayetse is the guardian of the sacred vows the Huichol shaman take during initiation.  Carved wooden jaguar heads are beaded by using a beeswax mixture calling campeche as a natural glue. Each bead is carefully placed into the wax.  The artist uses the beads to form sacred symbols on the jaguar.  Click on one of the heads to go to the description of the symbols on this jaguar head.

                  

Tortuga  (Turtle)

The tortuga assists the rain goddess.  It protects the water quality of the springs and replenishes underground water sources.  Here is a young turtle on its mother’s back.  It is a fine wooden carving covered with beads as described above.  Click on one of the images to go to the description of the symbols on this turtle-on-turtle.