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| An Ancient and Mysterious Culture |
| The spectacular region around Puerto Vallarta is home to one of the world's last remaining indigenous cultures. The Huichol Indians, living in the Sierra Madre Mountains, are some of the most ancient and mysterious peoples in all of Mexico. Their language and customs have been preserved from ancient days long before the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico. The mountainous jungle setting of their traditional lands has long sheltered them from the influences of the outside world. This demanding landscape has been the homeland of the Huichol for centuries. Today, their population is estimated at about 15,000. |
| Believed to be directly descended from the ancient Aztecs, the Huichol are a private people whose everyday lives are closely tied to the spirituality of the natural world around them. Small communities are scattered throughout the mountains, connected only by rocky paths along mountain cliffs, sometimes over drop offs of thousands of feet.
First and foremost an agricultural people, the Huichol depend upon harvesting corn for their survival. They plant their fields along the steep slopes of their mountain homeland. The yearly cycle of preparing the fields, planting, growing, and harvesting the corn is intermingled with spirituality and ritual, as are almost all features of the Huichol culture.
The Huicholes name for themselves is Wixalika, "healers" in their language. For centuries, the Huicholes have performed ceremonial rituals they believe heal the Earth and keep nature balanced. Their self-appointed role in nature is to heal the wounds that humanity inflicts on mother earth. |
 While the primary focus of Huichol life is hunting and agriculture, another important activity for the tribe is the creation of beaded and woven art.
Huichol clothing and art are often adorned with embroidered symbols of nature, which have spiritual significance for them. For example, the flower represents a prayer for rain, the deer is a request for love and bounty, and the scorpion is for protection.
It was in the 17th century that the Huicholes were introduced to glass beads. Tribal artisans quickly incorporated these objects into their colorful beaded spiritual art. These works often take the forms of beaded masks, prayer bowls, and beaded yarn paintings. Such art forms continue to the present day, with the Huichol creating their traditional designs on everything from ceremonial objects to slippers and t-shirts. |
| Spend an absolutely unforgettable day witnessing the ancient past coming to life before your eyes. Organized tours can take you into the scenic wonderland of the Sierra Mountains and jungle to an ancient Huichol village. These communities have remained unchanged for centuries, and still function according to earliest customs. Visit the people, observe their traditional way of life, and experience the wonder of a civilization frozen in time. It's the perfect cultural addition to a Puerto Vallarta vacation. Just ask your local destination representative for all the tour details. |
| If you can't make it to a Huichol village in the mountains, you can still experience their fascinating culture right in town at The Huichol Collection. The Collection is a workshop, a gallery and a shop all in one. You can watch works of art being produced right before your eyes. Huichol artisans come down from the mountains to produce their vibrantly colored beaded designs on bowls, masks, sculptures, ceremonial art and more right in the shop. Each item is a unique piece by a skilled craftsman, and every sale helps to sustain their ancient culture. What could be a better vacation souvenir than these beautiful crafts, and knowing that you helped preserve an endangered way of life? |
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