For people who travel to Puerto Vallarta in early March, the journey will likely include a detour into the region’s ancient past.
The annual Huichol Festival – which runs from March 1 to 15 – is held in Plaza Caracol, and gives visitors the chance to interact with the people of this indigenous culture, buy authentic Huichol art and provide much-needed support. Believed to be direct descendants of the Aztecs, the Huichol Indians (known as Huicholes in Spanish and Wixaritari in their own language) are a warm-hearted and enduring people who inhabit the Sierra Madre Occidental in Jalisco and Nayarit.
One of the last tribes in North America who still live much as they did in Pre-Columbian times, the Huicholes are one of the few civilizations in the world that have not lost their cultural identity to Western influences. Their strong ceremonial traditions and rich mythology are alive and well, but due to the ever-increasing physical and cultural encroachment of their Mexican neighbors, their knowledge of how to live in harmony with the forces of nature is in danger of being lost.
The Wixiaritari – whose name derives from the words for “fortune teller” – are world-renowned for their mystical art, particularly their techniques of beads on wax and wood, as well as the beautiful embroidery reflecting their unique ancestry. Other events, designed to promote intercultural, religious and linguistic knowledge, include music, dance, food and documentary films.
To book your trip to Puerto Vallarta in time for the Huichol Festival, drop us a line at [email protected].