The Huichol people are an indigenous culture from Western Mexico, and they are distinctive in that they were never conquered by the Spanish. Because they were not directly colonized, many of their ancient artforms and religious traditions have survived, although like all cultural practices, these have continued to change and develop through time.

One type of traditional art that the Huichol continue to make is called yarn painting. Yarn painting is the creation of colorful geometric and organic imagery on panels and on the surface of figures made of various materials such as wood, ceramic, or papier-mâché, such as this papier-mâché bird. Traditionally, the surface of the object to be embellished is coated with beeswax and then yarn is pressed into the wax. The artist starts at the center of the motif and wraps and shapes the yarn in a continuous outward spiral until the desired shape in that color is complete; other colors of yarn may be added to the motif in the same manner.

Some Huichol yarn painting symbols and panels are considered sacred. These yarn paintings are used in religious ceremonies where a Huichol religious practitioner called the mara’kate, or the singer, performs healing rituals and communicates with the gods and the ancestors.

For more information, you may contact the researcher(s) noted in the title of this exhibit entry, or Dr. Billie Follensbee, the professor of the course, at BillieFollensbee@MissouriState.edu