behind the scenes: what wirikuta fest fans bought with their tickets - solar dehydrator

"Wirikuta is not for sale!
"The leaders and activists of Wixarika, on the stage of Wirikuta Fest, sent a sacred song to 60,000 fans.
Stories and photos of Tracy L
BarnettIntercontinental CryIt is a long time to come-
But waiting is worth it.
About two years ago, a dozen of Mexico's greatest performing artists gathered in a big show.
Activities designed to save Wirikuta, one of the country's most sacred sites, from the destruction of gold and silver mining operations in Canada.
For the Aboriginal Wixarika and the entire Aboriginal movement, this is a time of victory when the one-day festival is over and they are invited to come to power.
A huge screen flashed past the traditional Wixarika pearl detailing their 60,000 fans chanting, United, "Wirikuta no se vende!
Wirikuta se defense! " (
Wirikuta is not for sale!
Victoria Kuta will be protected! )
The leaders of the local resident Wixarika and the civil society alliance Wirikuta Defense Front, who supported them, recently stood up at a press conference in Mexico City, telling how the money was spent --
Examples of innovation in the face of severe challenges.
More than a dozen activists gathered on the podium of the Agustin Pro Human Rights Center in Mexico City, half of them wearing white cotton ceremonial clothing from Wixarika people, embroidered with their sacred plants and animals.
One of the activists was inconspicuous in jeans and T-shirts.
Shirt, one of Mexico's most popular performing artists, rock star Reuben albaran at the cafe takuba.
Wixarika leader Santos de la Cruz consulted Ruben Albarran at Cafe takuba at a press conference on May 2012, just before Wirikuta Fest.
The young Wixarika lawyer and traditional leader, Santos de la Cruz, was one of the first to speak.
"It was a very difficult struggle for us;
"This is not something we like to do," he said, reflecting the reluctance of his people to get involved in the conflict;
In fact, it was due to the invasion of the Spanish colonists that they retreated to the rugged West Madre Mountains to preserve their intricate Earth --
Probably more than any other tribe in America.
It was born out of need.
Not only are we attacked for our fundamental rights, but they threaten to destroy the holy heart we are called Wirikuta.
"Wixarika people live in mountain communities hundreds of miles west;
But for them, Wirikuta is the birthplace of the Sun and the origin of their spiritual traditions;
Covering more than 140,000 hectares of desert and mountain areas in the North
The central state of portosi, St. Louis, includes the real colonial mining town of catoales.
The area is dotted with St. springs, mountains and other auspicious landmarks in vicrika, and has been a pilgrimage destination since ancient times;
It is also a hunting ground for the sacred plant peyote cactus of Wixarika, used in traditional rituals to maintain communication and guidance with the natural spirit that lives there.
A group of Wixarika pilgrims met a double rainbow as they gathered their sacred hikuri. (
Photo of Laura Carmen Magania)
June of 2010 wixarika people realize that government has to a few home mining the company including Canada the first a majestic of silver and revolution resources the Company granted the they more than half of the sacred territory of concession, so they mine.
The Wirikuta Defense Front, an unusual coalition of civil society groups and traditional leaders of Wixarika, appeared in response.
Its legal team has successfully stopped the legal suspension of any government agency at the national, state and local levels, granting any permission or authorization to any mining company, allow them to explore or develop the area step by step as the case passes through the court.
The tensions surrounding the issue in the region are very serious, and due to devastating poverty, the region is one of the highest immigration rates in the northern states of Mexico and the United States, with generations of mining left over to Spaniards, A vast barren landscape and depleted water were left behind.
Many locals fear that the impact of modern underground and open-air mining will make the rest unhabitable;
Others have seen the opportunity to have a good time again.
Paid work and economic development that leaves her husband and son at home.
One of the most difficult challenges for four peopleyear-
The old Villera defense line has been battling the strong influence of mining companies in the region.
Those who dare to speak out about the proposed mining project face harassment, threats and intimidation.
Since its inception, a major part of the group's strategy has been to promote sustainable development in the region as an alternative to mines.
For grassroots groups like this, however, to come up with funding to have a meaningful impact --
Especially in the face of millions of mining companies spending on public relations projects and bribes.
It seems to be a difficult task.
The answer to the Wirikuta superstar;
The result of more than a year of organizational work, ultimately at a powerful moment in the history of indigenous struggle, has a series of superstars, such as Caifanes, Calle 13, cafe Tacvba, Enrique Bunbury Julita Venegas and more, it is not difficult to fill the huge forosall Stadium with a standing positionRoom for the crowd only.
As part of Aho Colectivo, Sonidero Meztizo's Roco Pachukote and Moyenei are on stage in the big lineup all day long
The star of Wirikuta.
The campaign generated nearly 8 million pesos.
Over $700,000
Most of them are destined to win the hearts and minds of the Wirikuta community and offer them a lot-
Practical support is needed in many ways.
Environment analyst tuane Chavez, one of the founders of the defense front in Villetta, pointed out the significance of the decision.
"It is important to note that in the Wixarika community there is also hunger and lack of service and good education.
"But they don't hesitate to say that all the money should be donated to villekuta," Chavez said . ".
De la Cruz talked about the various ways in which the money was applied: on the legal side, in supporting the legal team to fight in court, at least temporarily stop the 78 concessions granted by the government to mining companies;
On the political front, the group strives to raise awareness of the issue and to build alliances with other organizations and indigenous groups at the national and international levels, large cross-border projects trying to protect their land and rights from destruction and dams
The most important thing, however, is the field work of the community, project coordinator Mario Alberto Besera, giving a brief introduction to projects that have greatly improved the lives of hundreds of local residents.
Becerra commented: "The process of completing these projects is not easy --"
Given that the municipal president is the leader-
With the selection and support of mining companies, the environment is tough and full of threats and destruction.
"We once said, 'How can we move on? '
"It's really dangerous," he said . "
"We thought about resigning.
"There are just 2,500 dvd arrivals --
A media campaign called "information is right" interviewed scientists and other experts to explain the ecological and health risks of the mining industry produced by volunteers with Wirikuta Fest's money.
"So we started distributing information in the community and we started to see that there are really a lot of people who don't approve of mines at all," Becerra said . ".
"So we were able to get into the community more easily and look at it up close --
What they really need.
"Obviously one of the things that local residents need most is better access to irrigation water and household water.
The region has traditionally relied on subsistence agriculture, with devastating droughts in the past few years.
In the community Refugio de Coronados, for example, they can install 3 km/h six
Inch pipe, with 42 outlets, allowing member farmers to access the local water supply directly to their fields, and cut water charges through two water suppliesthirds;
The water system is the first phase in a long time.
Permanent cultural programs for 19 member farmers.
In the town of Los Catorce, they built 28 compost toilets, trained a women's cooperative "Flor de la Sierra" to produce medicinal ointment and helped to develop a marketing plan;
And two large solar dehydrators were built to train locals to dry fruit produced in the area during the rainy season.
At Mastranto, they purchased and installed a hose, took water from a well 3 kilometres away, and installed four reservoirs in the community to allow access to 400 people
At the Las margar Tower, they helped build community centres and are currently repairing the deteriorating roof and installing rainwater collection systems for 20 roofs, with local young people contributing their labor.
Another urgent need is employment.
Or, from a different point of view, the subsistence farming families can supplement their income and improve the quality of life so that they can be supported on the land they love.
The design of many projects takes this requirement into account.
In San Antonio de Coronado, they contributed to the construction of the eco-cultural ceremony center project by building a circular healing room and workshop, kitchen and compost toilet.
Get three highs at the real Catos, the real Catos Mountain Bike Club
Performance Bike, Wixárika regional council and local Livestock Association organized a project to encourage the planting of local corn and distributed 14 tons of local corn seeds to 204 families.
In the town of Wadley, 14 families are supported in building their own family gardens.
The list continues, and other projects are not made public for security reasons;
But the most important thing, he said, is that the local people have received meaningful support.
Other countries and international organizations have also come forward to help, and neighbouring countries have begun to establish links between communities to strengthen and develop once fragile movements.
"We don't know how long this fight will last because these natural resources will always be there," Becerra said . ".
"I think it's going to be a lifelong struggle, so hopefully we can keep working.
"Albarran is working with the film crew to tell the story behind Wirikuta Fest, hoping that the documentary will inspire an exploration of the links between social movements and the need to keep the social movement moving forward.
"This is an attempt to bring together the different reasons that civil society is taking place, to build connections, to unite and to help people realize that the struggle of the Victorians is also the struggle of the riders, the struggle of cyclists is also a struggle for animals, and the struggle of animals is also a struggle for all ecosystems;
Everything is connected, and this is the wisdom that the indigenous people pass on to us, and the Wixarika people do so in a wonderful way.
"More scenes from Wirikuta Fest: The pop band Venado Azul, composed of a Wixarika couple and their youngest son, is the headline of Wirikuta Fest.
At the event, Wirikuta residents were invited to showcase the products they produce from sustainably harvested desert plants, medicines and jams to handbags and potted cactus, so that fans could purchase these
"We are residents of Catos. . .
Wirikuta is our home. . .
We sow life, not destruction.