The Huichol Indians of west Mexico practice an indigenous form of shamanism in the Sierra Madre, but their shamanic art is now sold in the global marketplace. Through the visual medium of yarn paintings—a religious offering transformed into commercial art—Hui— chol artists describe their gods, shamanic curing and ceremony. Shamanic art may be seen as a mode of discourse about shamanic...
Abstract: This article asks what is the relationship between shamanic vision and the production of shamanic art? Based on interviews with Huichol Indian yarn painters in Mexico, the author shows that the artist's concept of the soul is important to understanding shamanic art. For the Huichol, the heart is the centre of shamanic inspiration and the vehicle for communication with the gods. This...