An Indigenous Mexican Wixarika Huichol artist, Benigno Carrillo Bautista, is featured this month. Along with his wife, Margarita Carrillo Reza, brother Angel Carrillo Carrillo, and their family, Benigno creates intricate art pieces using traditional Wixarika symbols and allies. Representations of sacred objects, ceremonies, and the Wixarika cosmovision are depicted in these traditional artworks.
Benigno and his family live in Real de Catorce, a small town in the mountains of the northern Mexican state of San Luis Potosí. The town faces Mount Cerro Quemado, a sacred pilgrimage site for the Wixarika people. It overlooks the Huiricuta Natural and Cultural Reserve in the Chihuahuan Desert. In Wixarika cosmology, the world is believed to have been created in Wirikuta, and the Sun was born on the peak of Cerro Quemado, represented in ceremony by Tatewari, Grandfather Fire. Mount Quemado represents the head of the Blue Deer god, Kauyumari, and is believed to be the ancestral home of the Wixarika people.
Over the past 15 years, the Center for Shamanic Education and Exchange has been honored to have a long-standing relationship with the Indigenous Huichol/Wixarika people of Northern Mexico. Thanks to our donors, we have supported numerous projects with the Wixarika, including:
- Repairing ceremonial centers using traditional and natural materials
- Funding the creation of traditional ceremonial tools and objects
- Supporting the participation of Wixarika maracame and elders in their protection efforts for Huiricuta and other sacred lands
We deeply respect the Wixarika people, their rich history, and their vital role in protecting sacred lands and maintaining practices connected to the cycles and wisdom of nature.
Both Benigno and Margarita were born in Jalisco and moved to Real de Catorce several years ago. In Jalisco, they learned the traditional techniques of creating Wixarika art using yarn, wax, and beads, which they have continued to refine. Benigno and Angel’s father is a maracame, a Huichol shaman and healer who maintains the ancestral connection to the spiritual world.
The intricate, colorful yarn paintings and beaded sculptures are created by covering wooden frames or molds with wax and then meticulously pressing yarn or beads into the wax, thread by thread, bead by bead. These beautiful paintings tell stories of the Wixarika cosmos and their relationship with their allies and guides, and depict their history and creation stories, with symbols representing powerful allies deeply meaningful in Wixarika cosmology.
Watch Benigno and Margarita creating these art works in their studio in Real de Catorce.
Some Primary Allies and Spirits in Wixarika Art:
FIRE – Fire is considered a valuable gift from the gods, enabling visions. Tatewari, the fire god, is honored in ceremonies and receives offerings such as cornmeal, sacred water, and artwork.
THE SUN – The Sun brings light and illumination, empowering all living things. It guarantees healthy crops and abundant food.
DEER – The blue deer spirit guide, Kauyumari, leads shamans on visionary pathways and teaches them special knowledge. Deer often appear in male and female pairs, symbolizing unity between men and women on their spiritual journey.
FLOWERS – Sacred in all Huichol ceremonies, flowers are used in healing rituals, deer hunts, and harvest ceremonies.
PEYOTE CACTUS – Symbolizing life, sustenance, health, success, good luck, and spiritual powers, peyote is a common motif in Wixarika artwork and is considered a divine gift.
These symbols appear in Wixarika yarn paintings and beaded sculptures. The art work is placed in spaces to bring powerful energy for ceremonies, offerings, and inspiration. Each piece holds Wixarika heritage, the artisan’s prayers and focus, and the energy and blessings of the depicted allies.
Upcoming Art Show in Austin, TX
If you are in the Austin area between now and November 5th , 2024, we invite you to see some of Benigno’s works in person.
Visit our online shop for Wixarika Huichol beaded earrings, necklaces, and yarn paintings: https://shamaniceducation.org/shop/
Join us in our work to nourish the spiritual roots of humanity and to perpetuate Indigenous traditions worldwide both through direct contributions here and via purchases in our online store.
