• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Latin American Art Gallery

An Online Gallery of Beautiful Art and Crafts from Latin America and Mexico

  • Home
  • Store
  • About Our Art
    • Huichol Indian Art
    • Fair Trade Art
    • Jewelry
  • Pop-Up Shop
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Cart

Huichol Native Gods, Deities and Symbols as Represented in Their Art – Snake and Scorpion

May 18, 2018 by Latin American Art Gallery

For the Huichol, who live in Mexico and call themselves Wixáritari (Huichol pronunciation: /wiˈraɾitaɾi/), 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 Snake and Scorpion and show them in Huichol art pieces.

Huichol Deities Serpiente (Snake) and Tortuka (Scorpion)

In the physical world snakes are appreciated by the Huichols because they eat the rodents and pests in the corn fields.  The Huichols believe that rain is milions of snakes.  They fall from the Rain Goddess who is depicted as a massive circular, coiled snake.  The snake deity also instructs shaman to become healers and are the communicators between the spiritual and physical world.

Serpiente

Here is a snake figure, fully beaded with tiny beads.  Clicking on the image takes you to our store where there is a longer description.

On the elephant is a yellow scorpion and red snake on its front leg.

Tortuka

Scorpions are both esteemed and feared.  Their sting kills many every year.  But the scorpion spirit is also considered a protector and ally to fight off demons and bad luck.  They also are thought of as protectors of the peyote.  In the Huichol art they are often placed close to the peyote, as in the bowl below.

In this lizard and bowl see the red and light blue scorpions.  Clicking on the images takes you to our store where the art is described in more detail.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Beadwork, Huichol, Sacred symbols, Scorpion, Snake

Primary Sidebar

Cart

Product categories

  • Huichol Folk Art & Jewelry
    • Beaded Crosses
    • Beaded Jewelry
      • Beaded Bracelets
      • Beaded Earrings
    • Beaded Masks and Figures
    • Beaded Ornaments
    • Beaded Prayer Bowls 'Jicaras'
    • Yarn Art
  • Huichol Native T Shirts
  • Peruvian Gourd Ornaments

Viewing the Art & How it is Made

The tiny chaquira, or seed beads, are applied by coating the surface of a carving or bowl with a beeswax mixture called campeche. The beads are then applied one by one using a needle. The vision of the artist comes to life as the beads are applied.

The beading is perfect with every bead in place. This can easily be seen by hovering over each image where it will expand, showing the incredible detail of this art.

The images may also be clicked to bring up a slideshow of enlarged images. Because smaller size 15 beads are used – called ‘microbeads’ – instead of the larger size 11, greater skill and artistry is required. The quality of the beading is unsurpassed!

Take care not to place this art in hot direct sunlight or near a hot lamp. This may soften the beeswax. Otherwise, with gently handling, this art will stay in perfect shape.


SEE THE HUICHOL ART PAGE FOR AN IN-DEPTH EXPLANATION OF THESE PARTICULAR HUICHOL INDIANS AND THEIR ART.

International Shipping

For international shipping, please ask for a quote through the contact page.

Mexican & Latin American Art

  • Huichol Folk Art & Jewelry
    • Beaded Crosses
    • Beaded Jewelry
      • Beaded Bracelets
      • Beaded Earrings
    • Beaded Masks and Figures
    • Beaded Ornaments
    • Beaded Prayer Bowls 'Jicaras'
    • Yarn Art
  • Huichol Native T Shirts
  • Peruvian Gourd Ornaments

Footer

Free Email Updates
Find out about new products first.
We respect your privacy.

Follow Latin American Art Gallery

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on InstagramFollow Us on PinterestFollow Us on E-mail
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • My account
  • Terms of Service & Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Latin American Art Gallery · Built by Wirebird Media · Log In