Helping the Spirit to Support Indigenous People

"Lo Que Deseas Para Mi, Te Recebriras dos veces mas " ... Written on a wall in Real de Catorce, SLP, Mexico 2007.

Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity to spend the afternoon as an observer of a portion of the last leg of the spiritual pilgrimage of the Wirriraca people, known to the world by the name the Spanish called them, the Huicholes, the local indigenous people from the Sierras. The pilgrimage arrived near San Rafael to rest and to purchase some final supplies, tortillas, frijoles, water, before heading back into the desert for the final 5 days of the pilgrimage.

From each of the Wirriraca villages high in the Sierras, where they are still observing the thousands of years old traditions, a group of pilgrims travel, for over 700 kilometres, mostly on foot, over a 2-3 week period, eating mostly tortillas and frijoles and experiencing the weather first hand. They travel to the desert to visit all the sites that are sacred to their people, to bathe and purify themselves in the sacred springs and to collect their most sacred medicine, the hicuri medicine, which they take back to their villages to be used throughout the year.

This is a spiritual pilgrimage which has been part of the culture of these indigenous peoples from a time, lost in history when a blue deer was seen coming out of the ocean. The deer was chased by the local hunters across many miles and over many terrains until the deer was finally felled by the hunters arrows in this area, in Wiricuta, the desert. The drops of blood from the deer became the sacred medicine of the people, which they continue to collect to this day, though in many comunities the ancient traditions are dying out.

This is truly a pilgrimage of the Spirit. As this group of pilgrims travels with Spirit, they reshape their world and their journey ensures the success of the harvest, the survival of the corn, which is life for the Wirrarica people. As their culture has been influenced by colonizing forces, only a few valient communities and fearless people continue to make the challenging commitment to continue the pilgrimage. Their indigenous knowledge tell them that once the pilgrimage is not more the way of life of their people will be lost forever.

I have supported the pilgrimage through my donation to their First Singer, one of their chief healers-medicine men or meracames, whose songs open the pilgrimage and ask the Spirits for the safe return of the pilgrims, and on behalf of Indigenous women from the Caribbean and Canada have made a donation of the fabric needed to make the traditional dressed for the women pilgrims. I would like to thank Dr Caliz-Monterro from Spain for her generous donation of $50, which was distributed among the only 3 women pilgrims of the group. They were travelling without money or food and this money arrived at a much needed moment and was truly a gift from the Spirit. They used the money to buy the food and supplies needed for their journey.

I will be privileged to return to thier community a the end of their final ceremony at El Cemado, the altar of the deer, at which all their offerings are left. I will be travelling back with them to their community and will keep you post. Any financial assistance that you can provide to these fearless pilgrims will help to ensure their safe return to their villages, the last stronghold to the ancient way of the Deer, and will be greatly appreciated by the Spirit. As the opening line states -- "What you wish for me, you will receive twofold". If you are able to make a donation, please email me at travelwithspirit@yahoo.ca and I will provide you with instructions.

Lessons Learned: 1) Our true needs are very simple; 2) Women are being prepared throughout the world to walk the path of Spirit and to take leadership roles; 3) The ancient traditions of indigenous peoples throughout the world maintains the integrity not only of their own lives and their communities but of the life of our mother the Earth and of all her peoples. Ache ...

Stay Tuned. StayWell and Travel with Spirit in Beauty and Truth, Spirit Traveller