Huichol Native T Shirt – ‘Tatewari’ Design

Description

This ‘cuadro’ or work of art was created by Jose Benitez Sanchez.

Here is the artist’s description of the art:

In this design the gods are welcoming the “nierica” (mandala) of fire. They surround it and greet. it. A “nierica” is a circular entrance to another world.

The Huichol say the sacred fire is called Tatewari – he is the shaman of ancient times, the patron of all shamans: he is the one that burns the fields ready for planting corn, who cooks our food, who helps us to hunt deer and he is the peyote.

He stands beside the shaman when he is curing a sick person, and his messengers are feathers.  Like the feathers of the shaman’s wand, the “muvieri”, they are imbued with life, they have feeling, they move around and are capable of speech and action.