Wixárika/Huichol People: Protecting Sacred Lands of Mexico - Ep 47

EcoJustice Radio

In this episode, we discuss the struggle to protect the sacred lands and culture of the Wixárika people, also known popularly as the Huichol, an indigenous group inhabiting the remote reaches of the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico. Our guests are Andrea Perez, Indigenous Environmental Justice Advocate, and Susana Valadez Director of the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts. Jessica Aldridge did the interview. Central to the ancient religion of the Wixárika is the yearly pilgrimage crossing the San Luis Potosí desert in the region of Real de Catorce to a sacred place called Wirikuta, the homeland of their ancestors. They would collect and ingest hikuri (the peyote cactus) as a tool to dialogue with the ancient spirits. Their sacred Wirikuta has been invaded, private properties have encroached on traditional pilgrimage routes, and 78 mining concessions have been granted to First Majestic Silver Corporation out of Canada. While this project purports to bring some jobs and economic development to the area, it also drains and pollutes water resources and limits access to their ancestral homeland. Andrea Perez Andrea Perez is a 23 year old, Indigenous Environmental Scientist and Geospatial Analyst. Her desire for people to build personal relationships with Earth is moved by her approach to the Climate Crisis as an Indigenous Environmental Justice Advocate. Her ancestral lands are currently under threat by foreign countries trying to exploit the rich land for profit. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/protect_wirkuta/ https://www.instagram.com/arte_wixarika_tanuiwari/ https://www.instagram.com/for_the_love_of_earth/ (personal) Facebook: Congreso Regional de Wirikuta Susana Valadez Nobel Peace Prize nominee and founder of the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts Biography: UCLA anthropology grad student from the 1970s who married into the Huichol (Wixarika) culture and has since then spearheaded a humanitarian organization in the mountains of Mexcio. A Nobel Peace Prize nominee that has dedicated her life the well-being of the tribe and the protection of their people, sacred plants and cultural legacy Web: www.thehuicholcenter.org, https://www.thehuicholcenter.org/shop-huichol.html https://decriminalizenature.org/ IG and Twitter: SUSANA_VALADEZ Hosted by Jessica Aldridge from SoCal 350 and Adventures in Waste. Engineer: Blake Lampkin Executive Producer: Jack Eidt Show Created by Mark and JP Morris Music: Javier Kadry Episode 47 Image art courtesy The Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts