Wixárika Culture: The Legend of the Blue Deer

The Wixárika, Wixaritari (pl), commonly known as Huichol, are among Mexico's most fascinating indigenous groups with living cultures. They inhabit the Sierra Madre Occidental area in San Luis Potosí, Jalisco, Nayarit, Durango, and Zacatecas, where they maintain their language, customs, and traditions.

Several elements stand out from the Wixárika culture. Perhaps the best known are their clothing, handicrafts, and relationship with peyote, or hikuri (Lophophora williamsii), a hallucinogen plant charged with religious/spiritual meaning for the Wixaritari.

When contemplating a piece of Wixárika (or Huichol) art, its hypnotizing designs in vibrant colors are the first thing that stands out. Wixarika art is an artistic process linked entirely to a culture and a cosmovision. In it, we can see repeating symbols that carry different meanings. 

In a short and informative conversation with Sergio, author of some of the Wixárika pieces in Lolo, we learned a little about the meaning of Huichol art. Sergio explains that within Wixarika art, "everything has its meaning. We, the Wixaritari, through our crafts, designs, and colors, convey what the world means to us; we convey our adoration to the earth, the sun, the deer, the rain, etc."

Within these always-present symbols, we find the image of a deer. According to what Sergio tells us, "The relationship of the Wixaritari with the deer is very deep and ancient." For them, the deer represents a source of prosperity (deeply linked to peyote), explained in the Legend of the Blue Deer, Kauyumari. In this folk tale, the deer serves as a spirit who guides the Wixaritari and sacrifices himself to transform into peyote, with which the Wixarikas get in contact with their ancestors, receiving their guidance to be guardians of our planet earth.

Kauyumari: The Legend of the Blue Deer

Since then, the Huichols have worshiped the peyote, which, at the same time, is deer and corn, their guiding spirit. So, every year since then, they continue to make the pilgrimage to Wirikuta, to ask their gods for rain, food, and health for their people. 

The Wixaritari are one of the few cultures whose cosmology, traditions, and practices have remained almost intact since pre-Hispanic times. They preserve their language and social and political structures, reflecting Mexico's enormous and beautiful diversity. (If you want to read more about the Wixarika, don't forget to check out our blog post "Who are the Wixárika/Huichol?")

With the urbanization of some regions of the mountains, the Wixaritari create pieces of art for commercial purposes, ranging from yarn paintings, embroideries on clothes, musical instruments, and figures decorated with colored beads, this last one perhaps the most recognized.

If you want to support Sergio and his Wixárika community, be sure to check out our Wixárika/Huichol art products. Remember that we have a wide selection of artisanal products to fill all space with talent from all over Mexico!

Here is a Youtube video that does an amazing job at narrating this story in Spanish. We are working on finding one in English or with English subtitles, hopefully we'll be able to do it soon! (you can create auto-generate english translation by clicking on the video's settings (lower right corner) subtitles/CC > Spanish auto-generated. It will bring you back to settings. Click again on subtitles/ CC > auto-translate, and scroll to the language you wish to translate it to!):

 ---

So, what do you think? Is this something you knew before? Would you like for us to share more legends and stories like this one? Let us know in the comments below! 

Also, don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter where we make sure to share this and many more artisanal techniques, artisan's stories, recipes, and content of interest so that you are 24/7 on the loop! We also make sure to give our familia of subscribers exclusive promotions, gifts, first-hand look at all new products and, of course, these articles that we love to write for you all!

We hate gatekeeping knowledge. If you would like a copy of this article, feel free to reach out to us at info@lolomercadito.com!

*For everyone at Lolo, it is vital to mention that, like many other indigenous groups in Mexico, the Wixárika face many forms of discrimination in Mexico for being an indigenous group. However, their culture is significantly threatened because of their relationship with peyote. For starters, the use of ceremonial peyote is threatened after many people seek it for recreational purposes due to its hallucinogenic properties, not respecting its religious significance and making it scarce. Their use of peyote has also led to historical religious and social persecution, not to mention their fight for land rights, recognition, and environmental threats. This has forced the Wixárika to seek government involvement to protect a section of their trail where peyote is no longer easy to find. Although it alleviated some tensions, the Wixárika people still face discrimination and largely benefit from commercial trade.