HUICHOLES and TOBACCO
by
José Hernandez-Claire
-
- The Huichol Indians are a very unique and united group who
over time have kept their culture, traditions, religion, political
and social system largely unchanged. Now, however, at the end of
the century this group has
been threatened by the influx of values from the western
world.
- The majority of the Huichols are concentrated in Mexico
within the State of Jalísco, although they also have a
presence in the states of Zacatecas and Durango. Their approximate
population is 14,000. The majority of the Huichols remain on the
Sierra Madre Occidental and live on the top of isolated mountains
which are hard to reach, due to the geography and lack of good
roads.
- During the tobacco harvest they are hired for very low
salaries by the commercial tobacco companies, mainly located in
Santiago Ixcuintla within the State of Nayarit in México.
Santiago is a small town on the lowlands by the coast with very
hot humid climate which during harvest time reaches temperatures
above 40º C degrees.
- Every season the Huichols come down from the mountains in
the north of Jalísco State and move towards the lowlands,
they go with their entire families, from babies to the elders, all
those who can make the long tired journey. They go to live and
work during the harvest season at the tobacco plantations.
- All family members live and work under totally adverse and
inhuman conditions under "palapas". These consist of huts made
from wooden poles and dried palm branches. They lack any sort of
running water, electricity or any other facilities whatsoever. On
top of the hot and humid climate all family members from babies,
children, women and men stay in direct contact with dangerous and
poisonous pesticides applied to tobacco plants and leaves,which
have caused many of them severe illness and death. Needless to
say, they do not have any kind form of health insurance to protect
them.
- The author wishes to acknowledge the FONCA-CONACULTA (
Fund for the Culture and the Arts and the National Council for the
Culture and the Arts) for their support, as well as the Mother
Jones Foundation, but above all his thanks to Patricia Díaz
Romo who for years has researched these issues and created a video
on these subjects under the title of "Huicholes and Pesticides",
she was instrumental in providing the needed access to the people
presented in the pictures.
- José Hernández-Claire works and lives in
Guadalajara, Jalisco, México,and can be reached at
- jhclaire@udgserv.cencar.udg.mx
