The Wirikuta Preservation Project

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The Wixarika Community of San Andres Cohamiata, Mexico needs your help to purchase land in their sacred site of Wirikuta. Located in San Andres, Cohamiata in Jalisco, the indigenous community of San Andres has opened its doors to nonnatives for support. The Wixarika, often known as Huichol, is an original indigenous culture of Mexico. They have been keeping their rituals and traditions alive for hundreds of years. Generation after generation they have been honoring their relationship to the earth and with the original elements of life: fire, water, earth and air.

 

Every year, the Wixarika (Huichol) people make a pilgrimage to the sacred valley of Wirikuta to collect the Sacred Hikuri (peyote) cactus and many other ancient sacred sites to leave offerings. This journey is central to the religious rituals of the Wixirika, as they return to where life originated and seek healing and blessings for their community and for the world.

 

In this sacred journey, the Marakames (Medicine Men) travel 250 miles and assume the roles of Gods along the trail that they take traditionally by foot. Upon arrival in Wirikuta, the sacred hunt for Hikuri begins, and the first cactus that is found is shared among everyone. They must then harvest enough Hikuri for the entire year. After the work of harvesting, they continue in ceremony with the Hikuri. Finally, with the aid of the visions they receive from the Hikuri plant, the Marakame are able to speak to the Gods and ensure the regeneration of the world.

 

After many years of supporting this sacred pilgrimage, we have come together to unite in this prayer and mission to help preserve the sacred lands for the Wixarika. The Wirikuta Preservation Project was forged out of the heart of a desire and deep soul calling to see the future generations of the Wixarika Nation continue their sacred way of life. We are a group of international advocates for indigenous cultural preservation and sacred land conservation on a mission to preserve what is most precious in this world for the future generations on Planet Earth.

 

Spanning across the globe, we unite to support the Wixarika Nation through fundraising and social work projects, their cultural way of life and ancient heritage.

 

Now more than ever, we are reaching out worldwide to raise money for the tribe as they seek to reclaim their lands and the heritage that has slowly been taken from them and is at risk of complete dissolution.

 

In July 2021, members of our community received a call informing us that 500 acres of land in Estacion de Catore would be bulldozed to build future tomato greenhouses in the desert. In order to prevent this land from being destroyed, as many other thousands of acres have already been destroyed, we agreed to purchase this piece of land within a year time frame. This was the only choice to make if we didn't want to see yet another piece of land in Wirikuta destroyed, along with the species of cacti that live there, wildlife, and the sacred medicine of Hikuri for the Wixarika Nation.

 

With the destruction of land here in Wirikuta comes the thread of the destruction of culture for their Nation. It is up to us now to raise funds required for purchasing this land and then donating it back to the Tribe itself. Our mission is to return native lands to the hands of natives. We are here in service to Mother Earth, all of her sacred wildlife, plants, and species of biodiversity. And we are here for the Wixarika Nation.

 

Our goal is to raise $200,00 that will go towards:

 

· Purchase 256 Hectares of land

 

· Donations to families who will become security for the land itself

 

· Travel costs for the team and offerings for Tunuwame

 

· Fees for purchases (includes taxes and lawyer fees)

 

The land will be purchased through This Side of Heaven Foundation, USA and will be donated to the tribe. The community of San Andrés Cohamiata is committed to stewarding this land and creating action plans for preserving this gift with us. This is our opportunity to give the lands back to the indigenous who have been guardians for thousands of years.

 

With your monetary support, we can preserve this ancient culture so they may pilgrim to their sacred sites and keep their traditions alive. Thank you for your monetary support and contributions to this great mission for the Wixarika Nation, Mother Earth, and the future generations of life.