Like many indigenous cultures, the Huichol are facing tremendous pressure to assimilate into modern society. The remote mountainous territory in which they live has slowed the pace of external cultural intrusion.

The Dance of the Deer Foundation has worked for over four decades to help preserve the cultural and economic survival of the Huichol tribe. Building on that support, the Huichol Foundation was founded to expand positive impacts through larger private and public grants, as well as international grassroots funding. To learn more and help support the five pillars of Huichol life: Health, Education, Culture, Art, and Environment, please visit www.HuicholFoundation.org ➔

Although the Wixárika live in the midst of a Spanish speaking country, few Mexicans can understand them! Their language is of the Uto-Aztecan family of indigenous languages. Related to the language of tribes from as far south as the Maya, to as far north as the Hopi, the Wixárika historically traded with many tribes within the region.

Today, the Wixárika (Huichol) continue to practice their ancient ceremonies and way of life, making pilgrimages to sacred places of power throughout the Sierra Madre and maintaining their ancient artistic practices to help bring their visions alive.

The future of the Wixáritari (Huichol people) is dependent on many factors, but one of the most consequential is the way in which modern societies value the knowledge and traditions of ancient indigenous cultures. Part of our mission is to help bridge the divide between the modern and ancient; to help bring awareness of the beauty and wisdom of these ancient traditions to people living in the modern world. Through this process, we hope that modern society continues to place greater value on maintaining and indeed learning from the wisdom of ancient cultures.