Mythology
"Their (his) life started in the darkness, the land was plain and there were no rivers or mountains."
They come from 'Wirikuta': the desert where the sun was born and Earth was created, that was the starting point of the Gods to create the Wixarika Nation. After doing countless penitence, they died dismembering and scattering their bodies and with these create the elements from nature; they offered to the man: plants, animals, and fruits from the soil; this is why the wixaritari, with this conception of creation, that they are "the owners of the world".
To correspond back to the íwarima or ancestors the wixárika offers personal sacrifices, appeases the gods of creation with celebrations, offerings, penitence, and rites that reintegrate their forces, conserving nature and evading their anger.
The wixaritari ancestors, are said to be wise humans that communicated with the mind and their names were: Tamatsi Kauyumarie (our older brother, deer sun), Tatutsi Maxakwaxi (our great grandfather, deer tail), Takutsi Nakawé (the wisest, great grandmother of growing), Tatei Yurianaka (our mother earth, fruitful and humid), and Tatewarí (our grandfather of fire).
They come from 'Wirikuta': the desert where the sun was born and Earth was created, that was the starting point of the Gods to create the Wixarika Nation. After doing countless penitence, they died dismembering and scattering their bodies and with these create the elements from nature; they offered to the man: plants, animals, and fruits from the soil; this is why the wixaritari, with this conception of creation, that they are "the owners of the world".
To correspond back to the íwarima or ancestors the wixárika offers personal sacrifices, appeases the gods of creation with celebrations, offerings, penitence, and rites that reintegrate their forces, conserving nature and evading their anger.
The wixaritari ancestors, are said to be wise humans that communicated with the mind and their names were: Tamatsi Kauyumarie (our older brother, deer sun), Tatutsi Maxakwaxi (our great grandfather, deer tail), Takutsi Nakawé (the wisest, great grandmother of growing), Tatei Yurianaka (our mother earth, fruitful and humid), and Tatewarí (our grandfather of fire).
The Flood
The wixárika Watakame: "The one who did the 'coamil'", trying to dismount their labor to plant corn, he found fully grown corn of what he had cut the day before. He kept cutting and the same thing happened. He decided to uncover the cause. Coming from under the soil he saw grandmother of growth, Nakawé, who pointing with her cane towards the five bearings of the universe, she made everything grow.
She said to him "There's going to be a flood, and five days before the flood there's going to be a very strong breeze that is smoked chile scented. Build a box of your size with the trunk of a 'zalate'; place a cover to hide inside, keep 5 corn seed one of each color, and five beans; one of each as well. Take firelight and five gourd stems to preserve the fire and a black dog."
The wixárika did as he was told. The box floated during five years, wandering through the cardinal points every year. The world was now filled with water and the box had gone very high during the fifth year, and in the sixth year the water descended and the box settled on a mountain. The macaws and the parrots opened their beaks and wide ravines started to form along with the separation of the seas into five different ones, and trees and herbs were born.
The wixárika and the black dog lived in a cave, where he left to work, and when he came back there were tortillas made. He decided to hide during five days and spy on whoever was bringing the tortilla and he noticed that the dog during the day took his skin off and hung it on a branch, she would turn into a woman and she would kneel down to ground the corn with water to make dough. He took the dog skin and threw it to the firelight. He then showered her with the corn dough water and from that day on she became his wife. They had many children that populated the world and lived in caves.
She said to him "There's going to be a flood, and five days before the flood there's going to be a very strong breeze that is smoked chile scented. Build a box of your size with the trunk of a 'zalate'; place a cover to hide inside, keep 5 corn seed one of each color, and five beans; one of each as well. Take firelight and five gourd stems to preserve the fire and a black dog."
The wixárika did as he was told. The box floated during five years, wandering through the cardinal points every year. The world was now filled with water and the box had gone very high during the fifth year, and in the sixth year the water descended and the box settled on a mountain. The macaws and the parrots opened their beaks and wide ravines started to form along with the separation of the seas into five different ones, and trees and herbs were born.
The wixárika and the black dog lived in a cave, where he left to work, and when he came back there were tortillas made. He decided to hide during five days and spy on whoever was bringing the tortilla and he noticed that the dog during the day took his skin off and hung it on a branch, she would turn into a woman and she would kneel down to ground the corn with water to make dough. He took the dog skin and threw it to the firelight. He then showered her with the corn dough water and from that day on she became his wife. They had many children that populated the world and lived in caves.
Takutsi Nakawé
Growth is an essential part of life, as it represents fertility, procreation, life, birth, and health. Along with the element of fire, growth is one of the biggest deities as it put the world in order, reestablishing the world after the destruction brought upon by the flood.
Takutsi Nakawe, the deity of growth, is represented as an old lady that has been part of this world since the beginning of time, taking care of the people, the animals, plants, and other living things. She is prayed to in times of sorrow in order to have a healthy and joyful long life.
She is the mother of the Gods and the Earth. The place where she inhabits is known as the underworld. She produces the vegetation that feeds the Wixaritari and is identified with Mother Earth and the Mother of corn.
Takutsi Nakawe, the deity of growth, is represented as an old lady that has been part of this world since the beginning of time, taking care of the people, the animals, plants, and other living things. She is prayed to in times of sorrow in order to have a healthy and joyful long life.
She is the mother of the Gods and the Earth. The place where she inhabits is known as the underworld. She produces the vegetation that feeds the Wixaritari and is identified with Mother Earth and the Mother of corn.
The Mara'akame
Tatutsi Maxacuaxi, the tail deer great grandfather, was the first Mara'akame singer, god and hero, the peyote taught him how to communicate with the sun, the fire and the corn.
The Mara'akame is the wixárika priest, profound foundation where customs and traditions are maintained. He sings during rites and celebrations; to ask for abundant rain during plantations, also to avoid illnesses and hunger; for justice and order to be maintained; and he asks that the plantations are good and healthy for a long and prolonged life. Only he can speak to the gods and get know what's hidden and distant.
To obtain the shaman virtues, he must go through various sacrifices and privations "the individual who wants to become a shaman, must keep fidelity to his wife during five years, if he disobeys, he will become sick and lose all curing abilities." He must also attend at least five times the peyote peregrination located in San Luis Potosi.
The Mara'akame is the wixárika priest, profound foundation where customs and traditions are maintained. He sings during rites and celebrations; to ask for abundant rain during plantations, also to avoid illnesses and hunger; for justice and order to be maintained; and he asks that the plantations are good and healthy for a long and prolonged life. Only he can speak to the gods and get know what's hidden and distant.
To obtain the shaman virtues, he must go through various sacrifices and privations "the individual who wants to become a shaman, must keep fidelity to his wife during five years, if he disobeys, he will become sick and lose all curing abilities." He must also attend at least five times the peyote peregrination located in San Luis Potosi.