Descendents of the Aztec, the Huichol number about 18,000, most of whom live in the sierra of Jalisco and Nayarit. Having withstood the Spanish Invasion, they strive to keep their culture alive and viable, despite the ever increasing physical and cultural encroachment of their Mexican neighbors. Some 13,000 of them have moved to cities like Guadalajara, Tepic and Puerto Vallarta, where they survive by plying their intricate art and handicrafts. Here in Vallarta, the Huichol and their art and culture have found respect and acceptance. Because their art has been on display in many art galleries, and showplaces for their art alone, for decades, they have become an important part of the history of Puerto Vallarta.
Huichol art represents their spiritual and religious beliefs, in anything from woven bracelets to colorful yarn paintings, to gourds inlaid with vibrant beads—depicting symbols such as the serpent, the sun, the jaguar, the deer and the peyote cactus. A common feature of Huichol art is the peyote button, the part of the cactus that they consume at least once yearly after they make a pilgrimage of hundreds of miles to desert at San Luis de Potosi or Real de Catorce, (known the Huichol as ‘Wirikuta,’ or ‘Field of Flowers’), under the guidance of their shamans. The experience that they go through under the influence of peyote is not hallucinogenic to the Huichol; instead it is a way for them to connect with their gods and open their minds to the interconnectedness of all things, visible or otherwise. What they see through the consumption of peyote, they translate into their art. These images tell the stories, myths and legends that make up their daily existence. The geometric precision and intricacy of their paintings and crafts represent the unconscious archetypes shared by all human beings. As such, Vallarta has absorbed their culture, as have many other places by means of the art the Huichol have sold to visitors from all over the world. Photos of this exhibition are available online here.
Accompanying Events:
Portraits of Mexico / Weaving Beyond Mortality on Sept 1st – 16th Chinese Cultural Centre Museum of Greater Vancouver
This year’s art exhibit “Portraits of Mexico” will include Mexican and Canadian artists. Different types of art, such as watercolor paintings, digital, mix media, oil paintings, etc., will be featured. We will also feature Huichol art from Jalisco and Nayarit; including on site live art by Huichol artist: Mariano Valadez and pieces from artist José Benítez Sánchez, known in the Huichol language as Yucauye Cucame, or “Silent Walker”. José Benítez came to be recognized as an undisputed master of original dramatic compositions, and his knowledge of the culture was respected by scores of other specialists in this medium by 1971. He remains unsurpassed in the fertility and inventive.
The Last Christeros on Sept 5th Mexican Cinema at Empire Granville 7 Cinemas
In collaboration with the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival (VLAFF) we will present the Mexican film: “The Last Christeros”, where the final days of a band of 1930s Christian rebels in the central Mexican wilderness are depicted with majestic stoicism in Matías Meyer’s elegant ode to independence.
Mexi-Go! Travel and Trade Expo on Sept 7th – 8th Vancouver Convention Centre
In partnership with Mexi-Go! we are bringing the first travel and trade expo of its kind in Canada. This trade show will bring Mexican and Canadian businesses together in a two-day Expo that will promote Mexico in Canada.
Independencia Gala Dinner on September 7, 2012 at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
This year’s coveted Independencia Gala Dinner promises to be a night to remember. With a Mexican orchestra, dance floor and mariachi; guests will feel like they are in an elegant yet traditional party in Mexico. We are expecting over 400 people to attend.
Fiesta Mexico Independence 2012 on September 8, 2012 at Jack Poole Plaza, New Vancouver Convention Centre
The Fiesta Mexico Independence 2012 is the biggest event taking place during the MexicoFest. This event has activities for everybody and it is open to the general public. Activities include: kids zone, Mexican food vendors, live music, traditional Mexican dances, businesses’ booths, cultural pavilions and more.
For this year’s Fiesta Mexico Independence we are bringing from Monterrey, Mexico “Los Claxons”; a Mexican pop and alternative rock band who was nominated for the Latin Grammy in 2010 for best duo/group album. Los Claxons have released 4 albums since 2006, and have opened for groups such as Maroon 5.
Partners
For more information, please contact Allan Cho
