Nestled in the Sierra de Nayarit, just north of Guadalajara, Mexico, you will find approximately 12,000 Huichol (Wee-Chol) Indians, a tribe believed to descend from the Aztec Indians.  This area of Mexico is remote and rugged, and home to one of the last tribes to exist under the Spanish rule.  The Huichol Indians still follow pagan beliefs, consider deer a sacred animal, grow corn, which is thought to be the source of all life, and use a form of communication called peyote.  Because of this, the core of the Huichol Indians consist of deer, corn, and peyote. 

As a very religious and isolated group of people, they express their feelings through art.  So incredible is the Huichol bead art that most consider it a powerful decoration more than a profound religious statement.  As a part of this art, you will find yarn paintings, wooden masks, woven or embroidered adornments, and the most beautiful of all, the incredible bead work, which is thought to have been created for more than 200 years.  Keep in mind that this tribe has its own culture, traditions, and language, meaning the Huichol bead art created is like nothing else in the entire world. 

To create bead art, the Huichol Indians place a thin layer of beeswax with pine resin onto a hollowed out gourd or wooden form.  Then, very carefully and meticulously, small, colorful beads made from glass are picked up with a long needle and pressed into the wax.  Using complex designs and symbols, the result is stunning.  Each piece tells a unique story about the legacy of this tribe and their religious beliefs.