Wirikuta is + than gold.

Wirikuta is where the universe was born; it is an area of central Mexico considered by the UNESCO to be a Sacred Natural Site. It owes this status to its flora and fauna but also to a pre-Columbian ethnic group called Wixarika, in Spanish, Huicholes. Their religion consists in paying tributes to Wirikuta so as to preserve our connection with nature, they claim their teacher is Hikuri, peyote. Peyote is the sacrament the Huicholes gather during their annual peregrinations into the desert. During this annual event the Huicholes pay offers to the sacred springs of the desert and based on a vast shamanic body of knowledge they perform mental, emotional and physical healing rituals. Hence, peyote, which grows slowly and patiently in the desert, is as pivotal to these healing techniques as it is to the Huichol’s notion of the cosmos. Upon observing their way of living, one wonders how the Huicholes managed to preserve their traditions and religion so well even after the Spanish conquest and the modernization of Mexico. These natives of the Sierra Madre Occidental and its surroundings, recall to have escaped acculturation and assimilation into the mestizo culture by plunging deeper into the mountains. Thus for centuries, if not millennia, the Huicholes have lived and looked after this place where they believe the Sun was born, yet now a mining company threatens their whole culture and way of life.

In spite of the especial status granted to Wirikuta sacred zone by the UNESCO, the government of Calderon (2006-2012) vouchsafed 72 concessions to First Majestic Silver Corp, a Canadian mining company based in Vancouver who seeks to explore the area in order to extract gold and silver. Thus by employing heavy chemicals to dig into the entrails of the desert, this project threatens to destroy the flora and fauna of the Huicholes sacred zone which consists of 140,212 hectares of land. Yet, the project is being sold as an economic booster for the area with the prospect of creating 1500 jobs, but the true is that Mexico is one of the few mining jurisdictions who do not to charge a mining royalty on production, revenue or profits, which results in companies paying general corporate taxes and per-hectare fees for concessions. In addition, this project will run for 15 years which implies that once the company have exhausted the mines they will leave a major environmental degradation behind consisting of water and soil pollution. Water in this area is already very scarce, if the project is allowed to continue the mining activities will exhaust and pollute the ground water reserves for, as you know, mining requires tones of water and chemicals to dig into the ground and dissolve heavy metals. We know from centuries of experience with mining that, along with environmental devastation, this industry is linked to economic exploitation, chronic illnesses and high rates of dead. May this not be the fate of the Huichole people.

We can stop this project if we join our voices to call on the UNESCO to endorse Wirikuta and demand the Mexican government to work towards an alternative plan of development. In the meanwhile, several civic organizations can unite forces to work towards alternative ways of creating an economic revenue for families in this area so that the Huichol art and culture can be preserved. The aim is to work towards a self-sustainable project of preservation in which the Huichol people consolidate an economy of their own and live in dignity and harmony with the environment. Your name for Wirikuta is a vote for Mother Earth, may an alternative form of development there be the basis of tomorrow.