IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: We are extending our Early-Bird prices to Oct 13! However, due to our catering deadline, we will not be able to sell tickets after Oct 13! Please get your tickets as soon as you can!
Wirikuta Weekend ATX 2016
Celebrating Indigenous Cultural Survival
Date: Saturday, October 15 – Sunday, October 16
Location: Austin, TX
Wirikuta Weekend is a series of five events to benefit the first indigenous herbarium in Huejuquilla el Alto, Mexico.
Co-sponsored by The Mexican Consulate, Wirikuta Weekend is hosted by The Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and the Arts and The Herbal Anthropology Project, a nonprofit that supports community-lead preservation of indigenous traditional knowledge.
Wirikuta Weekend Events
Individual event or weekend passes are available for purchase at bit.do/wirikutaweekendatx. All tickets are 501(c)(3) tax-deductible donations.
1. Forum on the State of Mexican Indigenous Rights
Saturday / 8:30am-11:30am at Parkside 301 E. 5th St. (breakfast provided) / $25 students / $40 non-students
Experience a traditional cleansing and blessing ceremony led by a Huichol mara’akame, followed by 15-minutes talks and a 30-45 minute Q&A panel on the current status of indigenous rights in Mexico, cultural diversity, bio-cultural conservation, and global sustainable development.
Keynote Speakers: Dr. Aída Hernández Castillo, senior researcher at the Center for Advanced Studies in Social Anthropology (CIESAS) in Mexico City and current Tinker Visiting Professor at UT Austin and Susana Valazdez, Founder and Director of the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival.
2. Cultural Celebration Lunch
Saturday / 12:00pm-2:00pm at Parkside 301 E. 5th St. / $60 meal ticket / $10 herbal cocktails / $5 beer & wine
Sample authentic Mexican and Huichol dishes from a tasting menu featuring a sacred five-color corn posole, blue corn chicken tamales, quelites (wild greens), and heirloom yellow beans followed by a dragonfruit and lime sorbet duo. Enjoy art demonstrations and traditional performances as you dine!
*Vegan options available
3. Herbal Cocktail Hour with Huichol Delegation
Saturday / 2:30pm-3:30pm at Parkside 301 E. 5th St. / VIP ticket holders & event sponsors only
Savor three hand-crafted herbal cocktails from the traditional plants and spirits of three global regions: Mexico, Western Europe, and India. Each participant will experience each cocktail during a crafting demonstration accompanied by paired with hors d’oeuvres by Parkside chef Shawn Cirkiel, followed by the option of one full-size cocktail or a flight of three. Enjoy getting to know our Huichol delegation in this intimate setting of only 30 people.
4. Huichol Art Exhibition & Silent Auction
Saturday / 8:30am-2:30pm at Parkside 301 E. 5th St. / Free
View and bid on over two dozen pieces of original Huichol yarn painting and beadwork crafted by the artists-in-residence at the Huichol Center in Huejuquilla el Alto. HAP will announce auction winners Sunday at 3:00pm, and winners will have 24 hours to claim their art before the next bidder is notified.
5. Film Screening: “Huichol: Last Peyote Guardians”
Saturday / 4:00pm-7:00pm at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar / $25-$40 ticket / $10 sotol margaritas / $5 beer & wine / $5-50 raffle tickets
Sunday / 12:00pm-3:00pm at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar / $25-$40 ticket / $10 sotol margaritas / $5 beer & wine / $5-50 raffle tickets
Attend the film screening of this critically-acclaimed independent feature produced by Huichol filmmakers highlighting the emblematic international struggle to protect their sacred desert lands from Canadian silver mining firms. The film has won several awards including Best Documentary at Red National Film Festival for shedding light on mining issues in the San Luis Potosí desert. Scenes of traditional Huichol pilgrimage and rituals are juxtaposed with international and modern settings to provide a holistic view of the archetypal struggle between indigenous cultural conservation and international colonial financial interests. Weekend and VIP pass holders receive dinner entree selections and a sotol margarita, and all participants receive complimentary popcorn and drinks.
For more information and event updates, join our Facebook page: bit.ly/2djoogz. For questions, contact Jane at jane@herbalanthropology.or
