Gualala Arts Lecture Series presents:
Huichol Sacred Pilgrimage to Wirikuta

Lecture and film with Larain Matheson
Monday, June 16, 2008, 7:00 p.m.
$5 donation requested

Gualala Arts will host a lecture and film, "Huichol Sacred Pilgrimage to Wirikuta," by Larain Matheson on Monday, June 16 at 7:00 p.m.

More about Larain

"I have been involved in work with the Huichol Indians of Mexico for over 30 years. Having studied with the shamans, especially Guadalupe-de-la-Cruz Rios, I felt the video was a way of preserving the story of this 30,000 year old tribe. They are from the Sierra Madre Mountains in central Mexico, and have contributed visionary art and shamanic healing to the healing of their people, and the planet. The video shows their spirit and sacrifice to make the pilgrimage. Over 40 years ago, they walked the 1,000 miles there and back, to find their visions. There are only now 10,000 Huichol people left in Mexico.'

My work, for many years, has been with bilingual education as a teacher. With the disappearance of so many medicines and tribal people, it was an important project for my group, Four Winds Circle. Purchase of the art work I bring here, and the sale of the documentary DVD helps support the elders and keep their sacred art continuing. It helps the people and families depicted in the film.'

This film took two years to photograph and produce. It focuses on the Huicholes annual pilgrimage to Wirikuta, where their sacred medicine cactus grows. It has been used for healing illnesses: cancer, tumors, emotional illnesses, infertility and much more. This documentary tells their story and depicts the visions from the plant which are used to create their sacred art, in the form of yarn paintings, beaded bowls, masks, and other beadwork. Their beautiful art work does, indeed tell their ancient beliefs and stories.'

The film has been in film festivals such as Mill Valley Film Festival, and won awards at the San Antonio Film Festival and the Anthropological Film Festival. It has been on PBS in the Bay Area. The University of California Media Center has distributed and sold this video to many university libraries, and classes; such as anthropological and spiritual psychology. It has been honored at the Smithsonian Institute with the traditional, ancient music from the tape we produced entitled, "Kupuri, Huichol Songs and Music." It is now a part of the new Native American Museum in Washington that includes the work of the Huichol tribe.'

I am an artist, and have been teaching workshops for over 15 years, about the art and spiritual life of these people from Mexico. I have taught at the College of Marin in Kentfield, Ca. and in many art and healing centers throughout the western states."

The Gualala Arts Center, located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, CA,
is open weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and weekends from noon to 4:00 p.m.
Please call (707) 884-1138 for more information, or email info@gualalaarts.org.

Serving the coastal communities of northern Sonoma & southern Mendocino Counties.