Ontological Frictions in Collaborations Between Huichols and Environmentalists

"Over the past few decades, the Huichol—or Wixarika—people have played a leading role in several successful environmental campaigns. The conflict that garnered the most media attention was, without a doubt, the controversy surrounding mining operations in the vicinity of Real de Catorce, San Luis Potosí—projects that threatened to impact the complex of Huichol sacred sites situated within the semi-desert region they call Wirikuta. Protests against these projects reached their climax in the spring of 2012. Another significant mobilization took place in 2008, when the community of Tuapurie blocked the construction of a paved highway running from Bolaños to Huejuquilla El Alto in northern Jalisco—a project promoted by the state government. In the late 1990s, Huichol communities—working alongside Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)—succeeded in halting yet another highway project, one that would have adversely affected a series of sacred sites within Wirikuta."

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