The Wixárika Nation, (Pacto Hauxa Manaká)

     It was during El Dorado Institute, Inc.’s (EDI) planning in 2011 of its Indigenous Film Festival and Forum at California State University Fullerton (CSUF) that this article was written. It was in support of the Wixárika Nation (Huichol) and sent to the newspaper’s editor of El Sol de Nayarit. The editor liked it so much it was published without edits.

     Without consultation as required through treaties, the president of México, Felipe Calderon Hinojosa allowed 22 concessions to a Canadian Mining company, First Majestic Silver Corp. based in Vancouver, to extract minerals of gold, silver and copper in a Sacred Site, “Wirkuta, –Real Catorce – Cerro Quemado in San Luis Potosi. The impact found cyanide leaching into the water table. Wirkuta is one of 14 world-wide “live” Sacred Sites the ancients say is the place “where the sun was born and portal to the next world.” In 2000 UNESCO recognized it as protected and in 2001 declared it a National Sacred Site.

     This Human Rights advocacy letter was pursued with various governors from states along the Wixárika Indigenous Peoples’ annual 880km pilgrimage; a route from Nayarit to San Luis Potosi, México as well as demands made to Mexican Consulate office in Santa Ana, California. EDI had hosted a Wixárika youth leader to present this plight at the CSUF forum. EDI is confident this advocacy was instrumental in the suspension of mining activities as its legal adjudication was finalized.