August 2014
3,000 attend screening of Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians in Mexico City’s Zocalo
The traditional Wixaritari authorities of all four major territories presented the film as part of the Festival of Indigenous Cultures of Mexico City
MEXICO CITY – As part of the opening of the Festival of Indigenous Cultures of Mexico City, “Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians” was screened on Aug. 28 in the Zócalo.
This projection on such an emblematic stage, in the historic heart of the city, with the greatest number and diversity of people from indigenous American cultures, has come to realize a dream long woven by the producers of the documentary.
The film was presented by members of the production crew, by members of the Ramirez family of Laguna Seca (featured in the documentary), and traditional Wixaritari (Huichol) authorities from the communities of San Andrés Cohamiata, Santa Catarina Tuapurie, San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán, Bancos de San Hipólito, the Wixárika Union of Ceremonial Centers and the Wixárika Regional Council for the Defense of Wirikuta.
Santos de la Cruz Carrillo read a letter to the president of Mexico from the tribal authorities that stated:
“We give thanks for this space and especially the screening has been allowed of the film called Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians, at this festival of indigenous cultures we would like to invite you to view this documentary and analyze it, make constructive criticism and publicize it in the most remote areas to gain visibility and raise awareness globally in order to address the problems we face in one of our most important sacred places called WIRIKUTA, that is, from the Mexican state who has licensed over 78 mining concessions to Canadian enterprises.”
They also reiterated their request to have a hearing “that we can verbally share our concerns on issues of our sacred sites mainly WIRIKUTA and together we can find effective solutions.”
Prior to the screening of the film, Eduardo Martín Vázquez, Secretary of Culture of the Federal District, welcomed the Wixárika authorities the Festival of Indigenous Cultures of CDMX, and held a meeting with the production crew of the documentary and several allied civil society organizations in a hall of the Historical Archive of the City of Mexico, in order to reach agreements on the promotion and dissemination of the film, on the organization of future projections in the Huichol Sierra communities, and also began studying joint projects that could be realized from the resources the movie generates. The main agreement that emerged from the meeting was the certainty and joint work together to defend the sacred territory of Wirikuta, and under this premise, also support the promotion and dissemination of the documentary that is currently being used to carry the message of the Huichol culture the world.
August 28 – Mexico City
The text of the agreement copy
Minutes of Agreement
August 28, 2014
Meeting on Thursday, August 28, 2014 at the Historical Archives of the City of Mexico, those present, representing the communities of Bancos de San Hipólito – Uweni Muyewe (Durango), San Andrés Cohamiata – Tateikie (Jalisco), San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán – Waut + a (Jalisco), and Santa Catarina -Tuapurie (Jalisco), the Wixarika Regional Council for the Defense of Wirikuta, the Wixarika Union of Ceremonial Centers of Jalisco, Durango and Nayarit AC as well as the representation of the production of the documentary “Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians,” Ramirez family representatives, and representatives of NGOs AJAGI AC, Mazacalli AC, Nierika AC, and Rumbo Nomad, agree as follows:
1. We will work together as a unit for the defense of Wirikuta.
2. We will support the promotion and dissemination of the film “Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians” by Hernan Vilchez, as an action that is part of the defense of Wirikuta.
3. As has happened so far, we will continue the transparent communication regarding activities and resources related to the documentary “Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians.”
4. The funds raised by the documentary “Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians” will be used to fund projects that benefit the Wixarika people, payment of debts arising in the implementation and launch of the film, as well as in the promotion and dissemination of this film in the future. The order of priorities and percentages as well as projects to be implemented will be discussed in future meetings.
5. We will jointly organize the screening of the documentary “Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians” in community assemblies in Bancos de San Hipólito – Uweni Muyewe (Durango), San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán – Waut + a (Jalisco), and Santa Catarina – Tuapurie (Jalisco).
6. We will bring these agreements and the meeting minutes for consultation with the community assemblies and the various actors involved in the documentary “Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians.”
7 We will set the date for a subsequent meeting on 21 and 22 November this year to bring responses to assemblies and to move forward in this process that has started.
Bancos de San Hipólito – Uweni Muyewe (Durango)
Santos de la Cruz Carrillo (agricultural representative)
San Andrés Cohamiata – Tateikie (Jalisco)
Juan Carrillo Carrillo (President of the Wixarika Union of Ceremonial Centers of Jalisco, Durango and Nayarit AC)
Luis Carrillo Jimenez (Sheriff, Tateikie)
Clemente Ramirez (Representative of the Ramirez family)
San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán – Waut + a (Jalisco)
Ubaldo Valdez Castañeda (Secretary of the Commissary)
Juventino Carrillo de la Cruz (Agrarian Consultant)
José Carrillo de la Cruz (Agrarian Consultant)
Santa Catarina -Tuapurie (Jalisco)
Tiburcio González González (Traditional Governor)
Minjarez Valdez Bautista (President of Commons)
Nicolas Torres Carrillo (Treasurer)
Aniceto Torres Robles (Commissioner)
Sabino Milares
Documentary “Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians”
Paola Stefani (producer)
AJAGI A.C.
Tunuary Chavez
Mazacalli A.C.
Jorge Gasca
Eduardo Guzman
Nierika A.C.
Armando Loizaga
Rumbo Nomada
Tonatiuh Reyes
Launch of the Original Soundtrack Huicholes : The Last Peyote Guardians
August 15, 2014
Music is essential in the daily and ceremonial life of the Wixárika People. Hence, the makers of Huichol: The Last Guardians of Peyote put special care that the music was a subject of history.
We have had the great privilege of having the Argentine multi-instrumentalist and composer Gastón Salazar contribute his sensitivity in the composition of the soundtrack of the film, together with the ceremonial music of José Luis “Urramuire” Ramirez and his family, and the contribution of a group of artists who resonated immediately with the project. This work, carried out independently at the request of the elders of the community of San Andrés Cohamiata in the Huichol Sierra represents a combination of efforts and talents committed to life.
Mr. Salazar said that “after years of study, live performances and composition of my own works and those assigned by others, I am pleased to present this collection at the request of my friend Hernan Vilchez for the documentary he has been dreaming of along with Paola Stefani and Andres Solórzano for more than three years.”
José Luis “Urramuire” Ramirez, star of the documentary, is a marakame, spiritual guide and healer, musician and artist who has guided his family and his people faithfully, keeping the ancestral heritage of their culture and worldview transmitted from generation to generation. Playing their instruments and sharing their songs, they have traveled many places, carrying the message that allows all people to return to the path of respect and harmony with life.
Gaston recalls, “The themes of the composition explored the ancestral, the sacred, respect and care for a nature that is arid but alive, and the feel of the iconic ancient culture that is defended. The sound began to flow from the heart, as an ode to the guardians. In its footsteps on the dry mountains and the desert, to the sound and strength of its women, the magic of shamans that heal and children who watch; to the water as the most precious good in the land, the life source. To those working in mining and those who no longer want to return to it. To the uncertainty of the future that we are all writing through our consciousness and our actions, individual and collective.
So, this handful of issues that are raised, and the vibrant energy of the artists who composed or played with me, and the vast inspiration emanating from the chants and touches of José Luis Ramírez Wixaritari “Urramuire” and his family, are (as is the film itself) essentially and fundamentally a labor of love.”
Continuing the pattern of independent distribution and using digital platforms with the intention of transcending borders, we publicly make available online this release of the soundtrack.
The original soundtrack of Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians is available for download at the following link: https://gastonsalazar.bandcamp.com/releases
Income earned by download will benefit all the artists who participated in the composition and interpretation of it, and to support the promotion and display of this powerful message of ancestrality and life.
