GENUINE HUICHOL BEADED ART “VISIONARY” MASK

Reduced from $350

Genuine Native Huichol
Transformative Vision
Beadwork Mask

In the mountains of northwestern Mexico, a community of Huichol (wee-chol) Indians have been creating beautiful beadwork art for centuries. Their artistic and symbolic creations reflect their spiritual wisdom and identity, communicating myths, legends and beliefs. The Huichol continue to practice religious ceremonies honoring creation to this day.

This mask was purchased directly from a Huichol native 30 years ago. It’s the real thing and not one of those more recently made in greater Mexico. It’s a large mask, measuring 14 inches tall by 8 inches wide and is the best one from the collection of a Huichol connoisseur.

This was created by a Huichol artisan under the influence of peyote. Peyote is to Huichol spirituality what wine is to the Eucharist of the Catholic church. This mask is more shaministic than most. Note that there are two facial expressions portrayed here for an illusory affect. The jagged light blue areas denote eyes and a mouth that are shut in a more meditative, or sleep-like, expression while the floral areas denote eyes and a mouth that are open in an expression of realization. The viewer must readjust their focal vision to see each facial expression differently thereby achieving a realization of their own and becoming like the mask. The knowledge that this may be the only such artifact in the world, which negotiates with the identity of the viewer in this manner, is another realization. The spiritual realization that this mask, no doubt, also portrays is a little more difficult to achieve with, or without peyote.

Construct

This elaborate beadwork is called “Chaquira”. It begins by coating the wooden mask form with a layer of beeswax and pine resin mixture. Then each teeny bead is meticulously applied one-by-one. A few beads inevitable fall out and get lost but can generally be easily replaced by finding and pressing in new ones.

Symbolism

Virtually all of the symbols have a sacred connotation.

PATH OF LIFE – Wavy lines represent the “vine of life”, which the Huichol Goddess of Life gives to every soul (plant, animal, human) at birth. This vine is the soul’s spiritual connection to the breath of the goddess in the ethereal realm. When people chose to follow her “path of flowers”, they receive her blessings: prosperity, abundance, creativity, health, and their hearts’ desires.

The DEER motif, on the forehead, indicates deer deities which are numerous and very significant. The Huichols believe that deer give their lives willingly to those who hunt them in a sacred manner. For example Tamatz Kayaumari (“Our Elder Brother Deer Tail”) is the chief deer, lord of the animals, and it was Watakame, another deer deity, the sower or clearer of the fields, who first taught agricultural methods to the Huichol. In this case, however, it’s likely that these deer symbolize Kayumahli, the spirit guide.

FLOWERS – Play a part in all Huichol ceremonies, and all flowers are considered sacred in healing rituals wherein the patient’s head is anointed with flowers. Shamans use them to prepare for the deer hunt and during harvest ceremonies to adorn the new corn. One flower that appears often is called Kiera, the tree of the wind. It is a hallucinogenic plant said to open the Huichols spirits to the highest level of enlightenment.

The large, most prominent flowers on this mask, are PEYOTE CACTUS BUDS. They’re the symbol for life, sustenance, health, success, good luck, and acquisition of shamanic powers, the peyote appears in practically all Huichol art and is considered a gift from the gods to the people to enlighten their lives and bring them into the mystical realm.

The WHITE FLOWER is the symbol for corn, their staple diet.

RED – The East, fire, masculinity.

BLUE – The South, Pacific Ocean, water, rain, femininity.

The red symbol at the bottom is a double-headed FIRE BREATHING EAGLE. (also found on the traditional costume of the native above) The eagle symbol is particularly important. The eagle flies high and so sees everything

Not visible in the photo there bright yellow SCORPIONS that adorn both sides of the mask’s nose. Used by shamans to repel evil and bad luck scorpions are both esteemed and feared. Scorpion stings cause many Huichol fatalities every year. However, the Huichols believe that the scorpion spirit is a powerful ally that protects them as well.

The white critter, with the wings, on the cheeks is the sacred BUTTERFLY which announces the arrival of transformative visions.

There was a very similar mask on display in a distinguished World Mask Collection at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens in Vancouver.

This is an amazing mask the likes of which you’ll likely never see again.