Arts and Crafts Made by the Cora and the Huichol in Riviera Nayarit

One of the many attractives Riviera Nayarit has for its tourists is undoubtedly the arts and crafts made by the Cora and the Huichol. These indigenous groups have inhabited this area since for many centuries and they still keep plenty of their traditions and customs. Year after year, ritual processions take place in the coasts of Nayarit, where local inhabitants and tourists can admire their beautiful and colorful artistic creations on masks, wood shapes, necklaces and bracelets. It is in their crafts that they reflect their beliefs and religious rituals.

If you look closely at their art, you will be able to see different figures of jaguars, eagles, snakes, jaguars, deer, animals that both cultures consider sacred. You will also detect some human shapes perfectly combined with animals and the peyote, a special plant with a central value in their religion since it represents intelligence. Buy some of these art crafts and take them home as a beautiful and genuine souvenir for your beloved ones. You are invited to take a little part of Rivera Nayarit back home; surely, this will make you remember all the joy and fun you had during your vacations in this matchless destination.

Both Huichol and Cora live in the Sierra Madre Occidental; they are used to representing their different gods –sun, rain, among others- in their handicrafts. These ethnic groups are distinguished because of their colorful clothes, embroideries, hats, as well as their bracelets, rings and necklaces made of crystal, all of which representing their beliefs. It wasn’t until 1950 that different art works made by these communities started to leak to the Mexican population and the whole world. With the passing of time, more members of the Huichol community, one of the only ethnic groups that kept their original customs, started to migrate to other cities such as Tepic, Guadalajara and Mexico City, and now to Puerto Vallarta. Their way of dying clothes has turned into a synonym of movement to protect the rights of these ethnic groups.

The cultural heritage of Nayarit comes from these two ethnic groups. Their cultural heritage has left in this destination an ample variety of restaurants with a rich gastronomy in tradition, events, popular festivals, folklore, and most importantly, souvenir shops with their art crafts. Riviera Nayarit has its own authentic cultural heritage which combines with a dynamic scene of contemporary art, mixed with the traditional Huichol and Cora art. These truly Mexican art crafts captive tourists in galleries, boutiques and local shops. If you happen to visit Rivera, you will find vast shops owned by Huichol or Cora natives where they sell their products, all of them made with passion and love. 

Agostina Giacomino