The Huichol people, who call themselves Wixárika or Wixáritari, are worried that their sacred land (Wirikuta) is in danger because of a mining project in the area from the Canadian company First Majestic Silver.
According to frenteendefensadewirikuta.org, Wirikuta “is the sacred temple where the Wixárika people go when they pilgrim to collect the hikuri (peyote) and leave offerings. It is located in the highlands in San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas. This territory has an area of 140 212 hectares and cover part of the municipalities of Villa de Ramos, Charcas, Villa de Guadalupe, Matehuala, Villa de la Paz and Catorce.
There are numerous plant and animal species that live only in this region and others that are in danger of extinction, such as the golden eagle, symbol of México. Not only they are species that have a protected status, Wirikuta is part of the Global Network of Sacred Natural Sites (UNESCO 1988) and is on the tentative list to become World Cultural and Natural Heritage. It is an Ecological Reserve, Natural Protected Area and subject to ecological conservation: Natural and Cultural Reserve of Wirikuta.
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At the heart of Wirikuta is Reuu´nax+, the Cerro Quemado, where the elderly and Maraákate (Shaman) tell that the sun was born. It is just one of the numerous sacred mountains of the Sierra de Catorce, where there are also many springs that have been visited by the Wixárika Pilgrims for centuries of living tradition.”
In April 2008, President Felipe Calderón, clad in a traditional Huichol outfit, oversaw the signing of the Huauxa Manaka pact by the governors of five states, for the preservation of Wixáritari culture.
But in 2009, the Calderón administration granted 22 mining concessions to the Canadian mining company First Majestic, through its subsidiary Real Bonanza. Seventy percent of the 6,326 hectares granted in concession to the Canadian firm is in Wirikuta.
Besides the cultural problem, the mining concessions in Wirikuta raise legal and environmental questions, because the 140,000-hectare area was declared a protected nature reserve and sacred site by the state government in 2001.
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That would be the Huichol vision of the conflict. According to the Washington Post, First Majestic Silver has promised not to disturb the sacred place. There will be no open pit mining, and the subterranean shafts will stop a mile short from the two sacred peaks.
The Canadian company is also saying that they “will adhere to international standards, build water treatment plants and employ at least 500 miners.” The promise of jobs make the issue even more complex, as most people in Real de Catorce support the project, which they see as an opportunity for the region to bounce back.
Real de Catorce is a town that came to life because of the silver mines that the Spaniards opened up there during the years of Spanish ruling in Mexico. After the mines were closed, Real de Catorce became a ghost town.
This conflict can be better understood as part of a major clash of civilizations between the original inhabitants of America and the modern nations of the continent, most of them of European heritage. It is the indigenous worldview where the Mother Earth plays a fundamental role, against the western worldview of progress and capitalism.
These two worldviews are irreconcilable as they understand the world in completely different terms. The western worldview has prevailed for most of the last 500 years, but an important shift of paradigm is taking place along the continent where different countries are starting to grant rights to Mother Earth and to integrate the indigenous worldview into their legal system.
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The mining project will bring jobs and benefits to many Mexicans. On the other hand, it might affect the sacred site of the Huichol (who are also Mexican citizens). So, it’s not easy to choose sides and find a solution that would satisfy all parts.
The problem is complex and goes way further than the current conflict involving the Huichol people and the Canadian mining company; the conflict is deeply rooted at the situation faced by most indigenous peoples in Mexico. A real solution would require a whole re-thinking of the role of the indigenous people in the Mexican nation.
There is no doubt that they’ve been relegated for a long time, but maybe the time has come for them to claim their place in the political life of the country and to take part in the decision-making process. In other words, they need to become real citizens of the modern country of Mexico, exercise their rights and have political representation. If this doesn’t happen, the clashes between the opposing worldviews will only keep happening and the solutions will only be temporal.
See also:
- Bolivia Set to Pass Historic 'Law of Mother Earth' Which Will Grant Nature Equal Rights to Humans
- One More Victory for Mother Earth in Her Fight Against Big Oil
- Peru Approves Indigenous Law as Wikileaks Exposes US Concerns
- Following Examples Set by Ecuador and Bolivia, Turkey is Considering Ecological Constitution
- Canada Withdraws from Kyoto, while Mexico Insists on Green Fund
- Is Progress a Right?
