Chapala, Jalisco – At the Sacred Place of Xapawiyemeta, on the windswept shores of Isla de los Alacranes in Lake Chapala, the Wixárika people reaffirmed their connection to one of the most important points in their spiritual geography. Here, surrounded by the lake’s calm waters and the distant hills of Jalisco, they gathered to renew the Xiriki — a small, stone-and-zacatón structure that serves as a ceremonial house for offerings to the gods.
The Xiriki is more than a shelter. It is a spiritual container where prayers are anchored, offerings are stored, and the community maintains an ongoing dialogue with the divine. For the Wixárika, also known as the Huichol people, the Xiriki is a living presence that requires care and renewal, both physically and spiritually.
The ceremony drew leaders and community members from San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán and Tuxpan de Bolaños, joined by officials from the Jalisco Ministry of Culture. Together, they shared rituals, reaffirmed commitments to preservation, and addressed the ongoing threats to the site.
A heritage site under pressure
Xapawiyemeta has been officially recognized as State Heritage since 2017, a legal status meant to protect its cultural and historical value. However, leaders say the site remains vulnerable to damage, particularly from tourism.
In recent years, the island has attracted increasing numbers of visitors, some of whom are unaware of its significance. In June, the roof of the Xiriki was burned — a loss attributed to negligence, possibly caused by candles left unattended.
Masio Chema de la Cruz, Assistant Judge of San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán, urged visitors to approach the site with the same respect shown by the communities for centuries.
“This place is very important to us as members of this indigenous people,” he said. “This sacred place for all three communities must be respected. Candles should not be left burning; this is very important.”
The “three communities” he refers to — San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán, Tuxpan de Bolaños, and Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlán — share custodianship of Xapawiyemeta, each with a deep historical and ceremonial connection to the site.
One of the five pillars of the Wixárika universe
The significance of Xapawiyemeta extends far beyond its physical location. It is one of five cardinal points in the Wixárika worldview, each marking a sacred site tied to the creation of the universe and the spiritual responsibilities of their people.
The other points include Wirikuta in San Luis Potosí, Haramara in Nayarit, Hauxa Manaka in Durango, and Teekata in Jalisco. Together, these sites form a spiritual map that guides Wixárika ceremonies, pilgrimages, and seasonal cycles.
Xapawiyemeta, in particular, is associated with water and fertility, a place where offerings are made to ensure balance in the natural and spiritual worlds. Pilgrims bring candles, flowers, corn, feathers, and other symbolic items to honor the deities who, in Wixárika belief, sustain life.
The Xiriki at Xapawiyemeta is a focal point for these offerings, a physical representation of the community’s ongoing covenant with their gods. Its renewal is a necessary act to maintain harmony and ensure that prayers reach their destination.
Damage and preservation challenges
Although the State Heritage Declaration offers some protection, enforcement has been difficult. Community leaders and cultural officials say the main threats come from unregulated tourism and unauthorized activities on the island.
Visitors sometimes wander into restricted areas, handle ceremonial objects, or leave behind trash. The burning of the Xiriki’s roof earlier this year was the most visible incident, but leaders note that smaller acts of disrespect can be just as harmful.
“Many people come here without knowing what this place means,” said one community elder at the ceremony. “They see it as a tourist attraction, but for us it is a living being. When it is damaged, we all feel the wound.”
Officials from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Jalisco and the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI) Jalisco Delegation attended the renewal, underscoring the seriousness of the preservation effort.
Creating a management guide
One of the main outcomes of the ceremony was progress toward a management guide for Xapawiyemeta. This plan, being developed jointly by the communities and cultural agencies, will set rules for access, maintenance, and restoration.
The guide is expected to address tourism management, signage explaining the site’s significance, and stricter controls on what visitors can bring or do while on the island. It will also detail responsibilities for monitoring and upkeep, ensuring that the communities maintain a leading role in decision-making.
Cultural officials say the guide will also include educational components, aimed at tour operators and local governments, so that information about the site’s sacred nature is shared before visitors arrive.
Ritual renewal and community unity
The renewal ceremony itself blended traditional songs, prayers, and offerings, with each element carrying symbolic meaning. Zacatón grass, used in the structure’s thatched roof, was carefully gathered and tied, replacing the damaged sections. Stones were cleaned and repositioned, ensuring the Xiriki’s form remained faithful to ancestral designs.
Offerings were placed inside — maize, feathers, and ceremonial objects — renewing the spiritual energy that connects the Wixárika to their gods. Elders spoke to younger community members about the meaning of each act, reinforcing the intergenerational knowledge that sustains the culture.
For many attendees, the ceremony was as much about unity as preservation. Bringing together multiple communities, along with state and federal agencies, was seen as a step toward strengthening protection for all sacred sites in the Wixárika territory.
A living tradition under modern pressures
The Wixárika people are known for their resilience in defending their lands and traditions, but modern pressures — from tourism to infrastructure projects — continue to test their resolve. Xapawiyemeta’s situation mirrors that of other sacred sites in Mexico, where economic interests sometimes conflict with indigenous stewardship.
Cultural authorities say the key to protecting such places lies in recognizing indigenous peoples as the primary guardians and ensuring they have the legal and practical tools to enforce protection.
In this sense, the renewal of the Xiriki was not only a cultural ritual but also a political act — a reminder that heritage protection is inseparable from indigenous rights.
Looking ahead
As the waters of Lake Chapala shimmered in the afternoon light, the newly renewed Xiriki stood ready to receive the prayers and offerings of another year. The voices of elders, the scent of copal incense, and the careful placement of offerings marked the site’s continued role as a spiritual anchor for the Wixárika people.
For outsiders, Xapawiyemeta may appear as a simple stone structure on a small island. For the Wixárika, it is one of the points upon which the world turns — a sacred link between the human and divine, between the past and the future.
And as Masio Chema de la Cruz reminded those present, the survival of this link depends on respect:
“This sacred place for all three communities must be respected. Candles should not be left burning; this is very important.”
With a renewed Xiriki, strengthened preservation plans, and an unbroken line of cultural knowledge, the Wixárika communities leave the island knowing that, for now, the heart of Xapawiyemeta beats strong.
