Huichol Art
Huichol Item 289
$725.
2ft. x 2ft.
Hand-twisted yarn and archival wax on board.
2006
This scene takes place at the shaman's homestead. An old shaman and his wife make an animal sacrifice to honor the gods. The deities have communicated their requests via the shaman's dreams. The sacrifice and accompanying rituals are performed so that the couple may be favored with additional years of life. The shaman sits facing the fire and holds a candle and muvieri in his hands. The fire is the physical manifestation of the deity Tatei Wari, Huichol for Grandfather Fire. The shaman's wife lights the candles and he places them around the fire. Note: Tate Wari must always be present during any kind of ceremony. Afterwards, a ram is sacrificed - usually by the shaman's helper. Once the ram has been slain, prayer arrows and other objects are placed on it's side so that they may receive a blood blessing. These arrows, along with candles and other objects to be blessed in a like manner, will later be taken to the sacred locations, according to divine instruction, and deposited. We see the ram bound and tied to a post, bleeding from a wound. Four arrow above are to be blessed with blood. The blue-white motif on one of the arrows testifies to it's magical powers. The shaman has consumed peyote for this event, as suggested by the peyote representations in the four corners. Objects surrounding the shaman include: his feathered hat, several clay vessels of cooked teguino "fermented corn maize beverage - libations from which he offers to the gods and a miniaturized version of an old man's walking cane with a handle of a deer head likeness. This miniaturized cane, which will be consecrated with blood, best represents what the old man asks for in return for his sacrifice. Many additional years to live! Above the shaman is a rectangular box which is called tacuatzi. In this box the shaman stores his religious paraphernalia such as peyote, arrow and muvieri when not in use. The two facing serpents represent the powers that this box and content possesses. Additional objects of the shaman include: hunting arrows and quiver, a cow horn for announcing the arrival and departure of pilgrims, hunters etc., a tobacco pouch and hand-rolled cigarette, and a net used for snaring deer. In the center is a building known as the calihuey or ririki. In it the shaman stores ceremonial items when not in use - except those that he keeps in the tacuatzi. We note that inside the temple are kept the drum, flowers, muvieri, a deer head, rattles, arrows and the shaman's chair. On the left-hand side is the shaman's striped shoulder bag. It is depicted as holding maize and a god's eye. All of the miniaturized objects that the shaman blesses with blood on this occasion will be placed inside of this bag. After the ceremony, the bag will be stored inside of the ririki until the shaman departs to the sacred places to make his offerings. Generally around five days pass after the sacrifice, until he departs to the sacred places. This bag is also depicted behind his wife, with a candle in it. Above the hitching post is a bottleneck gourd filled with drinking water. Once the ceremony is over, water will be offered to Tatei Wari by way of dipping the flower into the gourd and shaking it over the fire. Once Tatei Wari has received His water, the other participants will drink, sipping directly from the gourd. Above the woman is a bowl with three colors of maize. It has been taken from the ririki to receive blood and then will be returned. This maize is always returned to the temple. In this way the Maize deity is offered a blood offering. Above the two serpents is a flowering-plant which the Huichol grow every year. It is from this plant that the flowers used for dipping into the gourds are acquired. Above the cow horn is a prayer arrow and a vessel with a tamale inside. At the top, left of center, we are looking into the interior of a votive bowl, made from a cut gourd. A wax impression of a corn plant has been pressed into the base. The bowl is surrounded by clouds on both sides and connected by a chain of dots which symbolize it's power. Farther over to the right are two additional vessels, which have been removed from the calihuey for this occasion. One is filled with teguino and has a muvieri with nierika inside. The other bowl has maize and a deer head inside. Both of these bowls are of normal size and will be blessed with blood before being returned to the temple. Note: All of the "miniaturized" objects which are destined to be taken to other sacred locations are laid on the sacrificial animal's side, in order to receive the blessing. The shaman dips his finger into the blood and touches each item. Other objects to be blessed but later returned to the calihuey, are not laid on the animal's side for the blood blessing. The peyote in the upper, right-hand corner is seen with a candle, arrow and leaves - which all are representative of the peyote's magical powers. Only the shaman, however can see these objects - when he is has consumed peyote. The leaves are those of the maize plant which is intrinsically related to peyote. Muvieri are slender magic wands which the shaman use for communicating with the deities, divining the future, speaking to the dead and performing all kinds of blessings.
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